Internet Marketing Blog

Auditing Your RV Dealerships Marketing Budget

Auditing your RV dealerships marketing budget has never been more important than it is now.

If you want to be one of the RV dealerships that stay around and don’t get bought out by a giant like Camping World, then you have to make sure your marketing and sales processes are lean and efficient.

As you look at auditing your RV dealerships marketing budget, there are a couple things to keep in mind.

The whole purpose of our marketing is to create a conversation and customer lead for our sales team.

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This means our billboards, TV commercials, radio ads, digital ads, etc, are all designed to create a conversation with our sales team and our customers.

So when we look at our marketing budget and where we have our dollars allocated, we have to keep at the top of our mind, “how many conversations did this marketing avenue create?”.

This is important to keep in mind because say our monthly marketing budget looks like this:

Billboards – $1000
Radio Ads – $1000
Local TV ads – $5000
Online Ads – $500

With this outlined marketing budget your RV dealership would be spending $7500 a month to start a conversation with your sales team and your customer.

The next piece of the puzzle is understanding how many conversations these marketing avenues create.

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So for example, say you track the conversations and it looks something like this:

Billboards started 100 conversations. ($10 per lead)
Radio Ads started 75 conversations. ($13 per lead)
Local TV Ads started 300 conversations. ($16 per lead)
Online Ads started 100 conversations. ($5 per lead)

If the numbers look like this when tracking the conversations and breaking down your budget it won’t be hard to see how your RV dealership could get more efficient.

If your RV dealerships marketing audit produce similar results to the numbers above then it would make sense to adjust your budget.

Think about it.

We will never sell a RV without starting a conversation with our sales team and our customers.

So the main objective in your marketing should be to start that conversation.

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If it cost you $5 a lead to start a conversation using your online ads, while it takes $10+ to create a conversation with a radio, TV ad, or billboard, then to create a lean marketing process we would adjust our budget and put more into our online ads.

Sometimes this is hard because it is harder to track the ROI of our TV ads, radio commercials, and billboards.

Without having a solid process and asking every buyer, “What piece of our marketing brought you to our dealership” it gets hard to track.

The good thing about online ads is the date is right in front of you.

With online ads you can see how much it cost to get the click back to your website.

Next you should track how many of those clicks turn into an internet lead, so you can track online ROI.

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Auditing your RV dealerships marketing budget like outlined above is very important.

When your competition are giants like Camping World, it is impossible to go head on head with your marketing budget.

The only way to sustain against a giant is to have leaner marketing and sales processes.

So don’t make the mistake of never auditing your RV dealerships marketing budget because it could be the reason your dealership gets bought out.

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Charge What You’re Worth

When I look back upon the last decade I spent in business, it’s filled with different stories. Different narratives. Some moments I cringe at, and others I embrace. Yet, there’s part of me that is thankful for all the mistakes I made while growing up in the business world. In each mistake was a lesson, and the biggest lesson was to charge what you’re worth.

In my younger years, I was talented enough to get places, but I didn’t have the character enough to keep me in those same positions. I would be afraid of failure or pressured by “more respected persons” that said my work wasn’t good enough to charge what I knew was fair. This usually gave them a bunch of free labor from me and left me resentful of the work I was doing. That is why the biggest mistake I made while growing up in business was not charging what I was worth. So my advice, charge what you’re worth.

Check People’s Motives

Charging a fair amount for my work was one of the biggest problems I had when I started out in business. I guess it started as a confidence thing. It was true that I knew more than the average bear, but I didn’t feel confident enough in my skills to charge what I deserved to be paid for my services. In that, I ended up doing a lot of unnecessary work for free. It was ridiculous! My friends in the field told me to charge but I had some mentors that explained I should be doing things for free to build my portfolio.

Obviously I think it’s a big deal to have a proper portfolio, but at the same time, I don’t think this means selling yourself short. It is only the clients that I’ve given discounts or not charged a fair amount to that I’ve had problems with when it comes to payment. They either would pay late or not pay at all. It becomes a tug of war match to even get your money from some of them after the work is completed. So be wise, and don’t devalue yourself to please other people.

Never Second Guess Yourself

Never ever second guess yourself when it comes to charging for your work. Charge a fair amount. Be honest. And do what you promised. Everyone in business knows marketing is a lot of trial and error, so if you have a client that pushes you against the wall for a sure outcome explain that there’s no magic formula. Just show your case studies from the past and let them come to their own conclusion.

Think about the ads we all see on tv for weight-loss drugs. These huge results and always in the fine print even says results not typical. Every client is different and so is every marketing push you help set up for them. Don’t get trapped in the anxiety of not delivering dramatic results. Do your best and let it go if they try to downgrade your work so they don’t have to pay a fair amount.

Charge What You’re Worth

Also, it’s important to pick the right clients for you. The truth is, not every person is the right client for you despite what you may think. Niching down and handpicking the RIGHT clients is something that you should be doing. For example, if you are a digital marketer or social media person you need to pick clients that embrace this. Not people that don’t value these things. It’s not your job to convince people to get on the boat but it is your job to help the people that are already on to get to the destination they want.

I hope this helps someone not make the same mistakes I did. Love yourself. Love others. And do the best that you can always!

Stay Pushing,

Tia

What Your Internet Department Should Be Doing In 2020

The New Year is a time most people commit to doing things differently. Doing things better. And your Internet Department is no different. This year can be the year that your internet department gains more leads, books more appointments, and help sell more cars. This blog explains what your internet department should be doing in 2020.

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How can you do this you might be asking? Well, you can start by doing a few simple things that will make a whole world of difference.

The first thing your 2020 internet strategy should have in it is the use of video.

Whether you’re using video messaging to communicate with leads, YouTube videos to boost your SEO score, or micro-videos to share on social media, video needs to be on your mind. In a world where pictures are worth 1,000 words, videos are worth 10,000. The more you incorporate video into you’re internet marketing strategy the better.

Get Help With Your Internet Marketing Strategy

The second thing you need to focus on is optimizing your website. This can be done by making sure the user experience is straightforward and seamless. It’s surprising to see how many dealer websites aren’t optimized correctly or even mobile-friendly. I suggest trying the lead submission process yourself along just to see how easy it is for your customers to submit their information. Also, it helps to make at least 3 SWOT analysis of your competitor’s websites to make sure your website is better than theirs. These SWOTS will also give you creative ideas on what to add to your website.

Generate More Leads Today

The final thing your 2020 internet strategy should include is Social Media ads. It’s no surprise that we are becoming an ever more connected society through the use of social media. With that being said, every dealership should be doing their best to harness the power of these tools to gain and convert leads. Platforms like FB and IG provide low-cost ads with supreme laser targeting options for the audience that you want to reach. They also have a built-in CRM which allows you to stay connected and organized while talking to customers on the channel. Apps like YouTube also provide a great way to build up your SEO score while providing valuable information to your customer base.

2020 can be a fantastic year for your internet department to flourish.

What Is Wrong With My Digital Marketing Strategy?

When you think about your digital marketing strategy a lot of different things may pop into your mind.

The truth is, your digital marketing strategy should be evolving monthly and get more efficient as time goes on, but what all goes into a good strategy?

Is it just about having a website, a Facebook page, and an email account, or are there more things to a digital marketing strategy?

In today’s market, you have to be in many places at one time to get your customers attention so listen up.

I would say your digital marketing team and strategy is the biggest key performance indicators (KPI) for your company’s sales.

The idea behind digital marketing strategy is getting all of your digital marketing working together so you can generate a true customer lead.

In simple terms, how well is your website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pay-Per Click Ads, SEO, E-Mail marketing, and everything else working together to reach your target customer.

While some companies have just a website and a Facebook page, (that they never touch) other companies are taking their digital strategy serious. The serious companies are making sure they’re omnipresent across the internet and search engines.

We are no longer in a time where just having a website is good enough to attract your ideal customer.

Consumers are using every tool they have at their disposal to make sure they are working with the most credible companies and buying the most credible products.

From Google, Facebook, Yelp reviews, pictures, videos, your website, the content you create, and everything in between. Your ideal customers are using all of these tools and more to decide if they want to work with your company or not.

This is very important if you’re a business owner because you have to be able to keep up with the times and know if your digital marketing strategy is set for success or failure.

How do you make sure your digital marketing strategy is set up for success?

You should be asking your marketing team questions like these:

How are we targeting our ideal customers with PPC ads?
How are we using Facebook to build a relevant audience we can continue marketing to?
How good is our website at generating a lead once a potential customer visits the site?
How are we using video to drive engagement and interest with our target customers?
How are we using e-mail marketing to stay in front of our customers and keep them up-to-date with what is happening at the company?
How often are we using Facebook Live, LinkedIn Live, YouTube Live, and other forms of Live video to generate new interest and spark new conversations?
How are we following up with the leads from last month that nobody has called or talked to yet?
And the list goes on…

As you can tell, there are a lot of important questions that need to be answered when it comes to your online strategy.

How well can you answer these questions about your digital marketing strategy?

How often is your company doing a digital marketing audit to make sure your strategy is as efficient as it can be?

How well is your sales team following up with the customer leads your digital marketing creates?

Remember, the most adaptable businesses survive.

The Good About Outsourcing Your Dealerships Digital & Social Media Marketing

Message Chris To Learn The Benefits Of Outsourcing Your Dealerships Marketing

New Hires Can Get Expensive

It can get expensive to hire new employees and it is not getting cheaper.

The average cost of an employee is 1.25-1.4x their salary. This means a $50,000/year employee will usually cost your business $62,500/year.

Don’t get me wrong, bringing great people into your dealership or company is an important part of making sure your company succeeds.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to hire your own team to get the most bang for your buck.

Most companies don’t understand that it takes more then 1 person to handle a digital and social media marketing strategy.

To be found in today’s digital age you have to provide consistent content, photos, videos, ads, etc, and to hire employees to do that can get expensive.

Adding a social media manager to your team (national average 54k/year) will only add one piece to the puzzle and that person will still need help.

This leads to paying extra graphic designers, videographers, web site developers and other professionals to get the work done.

Things like this can add a lot of unexpected cost to your dealership and will affect your bottom line.

Invest In Your RV Dealerships Digital & Social Marketing

Outsourcing Can Be A Great Investment

When you outsource your digital and social media marketing to a company who work in your industry, you usually get more bang for your buck at a lower annual cost.

Digital and social media marketing agencies, like IMR, have the teams you need to create a successful digital and social media strategy for your dealership or business.

When you pair a great team that has industry specific knowledge and marketing experience with your business or dealership you get an efficient team that will help grow your online brand and customer leads.

If you hire the wrong person or who you put in the position doesn’t know what they’re doing, it can get expensive.

Some hires cost your dealership a lot of customers and they can burn a hole in your pocket with wasteful ad spends while they try to figure out what works.

Experience or Risk

The next downfall to hiring someone into your dealership or company for social media and digital marketing is it’s a relatively new space.

When a company hires someone with a degree in “social media or digital marketing”, what this really means is they’re willing to take a risk on someone with no experience.

Good digital and social media marketing comes from trial and error and is something you learn by doing.

College students spend time in the classroom and learn from professors who may have never ran a successful digital and/or social media marketing campaign and it’s counter-productive.

While the person you’re hiring fresh out of college has been spending time in the class room learning about the war of 1812, your digital marketing companies have been testing and learning what works and what doesn’t in your industry.

One of the best things about digital and social media marketing agencies is before you hire them, they’re using other peoples money to learn what works and what doesn’t in the respective industries.

Your dealership or company will benefit from this because now your money is spent more efficiently and you’re not spending cash on R&D for your digital and social media marketing.

This is a huge upside for any company because you will waste less money on unsuccessful campaigns and you will save time by using a company that has already learned a lot of the mistakes with OPM. (Other Peoples Money)

Get Better Digital & Social Marketing For Your Dealership

Outsource To A Professional

With professional marketing companies in almost any industry, it makes sense to outsource.

Just as you would go to a heart surgeon for heart surgery you should go to a digital and social media marketing company for digital and social media marketing.

In the digital age we live today you can find companies who specialize in dealerships, doctors, lawyers, and everything else in between.

The good digital and social media marketing agencies will already have the team in place to grow your business and they won’t waste your time or money like a new hire might.

Outsourcing your digital and social media marketing to professionals in your industry will allow your company to focus on increasing sales and creating relationships with new customers.

No more worrying about how you’re going to get customer views from your digital and social marketing because you have an experienced team handling it for you.

Next time you’re re-evaluating your RV Dealerships or companies digital and social media marketing strategy think about outsourcing it because there might be an agency you can use that will be more efficient and yield better results for your company.

Want To Outsource Your Sales Training? Click Here For Details

Learn why IMR managing your dealerships digital and social media marketing is more efficient by sending me a message on LinkedIn: Message Chris On LinkedIn

Photo Credit – Top 5 Reasons Small Businesses Should Outsource Their IT Solutions

5 Internet Marketing Tips For Amazing Results. (The Last Is A Gold Mine)

5 Internet Marketing Tips For Better Business

Internet marketing tips are all over the place…

So much that it’s pretty hard to actually know which ones work, and which ones are a waste of time. In this blog post I am going to put together 5 different internet marketing tips from the best marketers on the internet.

But… What Separates The OK Internet Marketers From The Best?

Great Question! Which is why before we start I want you to know how I am picking the “best marketers” on the internet.

I mean why would you want to waste your time reading another blog with information based on theory, and not credibility?

Truth of the matter is that you don’t want to waste your time, and that is why we made sure each marketer on this blog meets the following requirements.

Has A Verified Facebook Page
More Than 50 Blogs Written About Internet Marketing
Marketer Must Be Noticed By A Big Brand Company
Amount Of Engagement On Social Media
Awards Received In The Marketing Space

So, with no more delay…

Here Are 5 Internet Marketing Tips For Online Success. (You’re Going To Love #5)

1. Going Viral Takes Great Content, & Better Planning. Tip By John Rampton

Click click click (keyboard typing) you start writing attentively…

You pick a great topic (so you think), have amazing information to share, and write a perfect article. As you proof read the final copy you begin to experience chills, seems like this is the one! This blog is so good, therefore it should go viral… Right?

Not usually, and in fact most viral content is very well planned. John Rampton, Owner of DUE.com describes the process of making content by saying

“It starts with the idea for the post and it doesn’t even end once the post is out and winning shares. That’s just where the next process begins. –John Rampton“

According to John Rampton there are several steps that you should take when writing viral content (Click Here To Read John’s Blog About Writing Viral Content). Here is a quick run down of the steps you should be taking when writing viral content.

Select The Proper Content Idea

Selecting the proper idea for your content to go viral is very important. Make sure you do research on the trending topics, news, and audience moods in your space. Write content based on current events that effect your customers.
Use Google Trends to look at trending stories in your niche, after you find the trending articles take a look at the headlines that are trending. Study the headlines of trending articles and before you write your content this will give you an idea of what people are interested in. (Don’t steal headlines, but use them as a brainstorming tool for great content)
For example, if you sell dog food, and there was a huge Law that just passed increasing dog food prices by 10%, write a blog about it! Keeping your customer’s informed is a great way to ride the news headline waves, while providing great information to your readers.

Determine Your Promotion Strategy

Social Media – Ensure that after posting your blog that you’re sharing it with your friends. Post it on your Facebook Page, Blast it out on Twitter, and Share it on Linked IN. These avenues will allow others to share your post, and may start the viral spark.
Use Paid Ads – Organic reach is limited by many things, so many viral campaigns use paid advertising along with their organic reach. Boosting your blog on Facebook, promoting your tweet, or having a sponsored post on LinkedIn all have their advantages to drive your content further.
Email Your List – If you’ve been building your Email list than you want to send them an email telling them about your new content, also it’s a great idea if you ask them to share your content if they enjoy it! Don’t worry if you don’t have a huge email list yet, every list starts at 0 recipients.

Picking The Right Time

Post your content at a time when you know people will see it. What good is awesome content if you post it when everyone is offline?
Ensure to use your social media insights, and Google analytics in order to see when your content is most popular. Post your content around these times to get the best results.

Click Here To Read John’s Blog About Writing Viral Content

2. Focus On Your Organic Social Media Reach. Tip By Gary Vaynerchuk

It’s a new age of business, and pioneering this change is Social Media. Social Media is one of the greatest tools that any business can take advantage of, and the best part is that you can have huge results with very little money.

Posting daily on your Facebook pages, going live on Youtube/Facebook for daily webisodes, and even making your own short film can now be accomplished straight from your cell phone! No more excuses that you can’t start a business due to capital, it now has to do with your drive.

“It excites me to no end to think about the fact that most small business (and even A-list personalities) waste $250,000-500,000 a year on tactics like websites, PR, direct mail, or paid media when they could have just gone all in on organic social content and a small amplification budget to achieve more valuable results. – Gary Vaynerchuk“

In Gary Vaynerchuck’s article he also refers to social media as “the current state of the internet”, and you have to agree with him. Think about how many hours people scour Facebook feeds, Instagram photo’s, and Snapchat stories…

What number of hours do you think people are using Social Media daily?

According to this info-graphic provided by Social Media Today, people will spend more time on Social Media than they will eating and drinking combined… That’s Insane, but what does that mean for you?

This crazy, but true stat means that people are eating, and breathing Social Media.

Therefore, if you’re really looking to grow your business in the new age start getting active on Social Media, and your internet marketing will see results. (Patience Is A Virtue)

Here Are Some Way’s To Get Active On Social Media

Post Daily – Ensure that you are not just posting your buy links, or marketing information because people will unfollow you. Instead share great content that adds value for your customer. Give them coupons, funny videos, awesome quotes and even how to videos your customer would enjoy. When you’re thinking of what content to post it’s good to follow the 80% Social 20% Marketing Rule. This means for every 10 post you do each day, only 2 of them should be direct marketing post. If you follow this principal your social media accounts will grow.
Engage With Everyone – Reply to any comment on your post. Even if you just say thank you for commenting, or actually start a conversation, your constant engagement will bring great results.(This Is HUGE For Growth)
Stay Constant – Everything takes time, if you stop posting on Social Media you will not get results. Notice how Gary Vaynerchuk suggest for you to focus on your organic reach for an entire year… He doesn’t suggest 2 months, or a week, but a year. It’s very important to stick with social media because when you do your results will reflect your efforts.

Click Here To Read The Entire Blog On Social Media Marketing By Gary Vaynerchuk

3. Never Assume Your Internet Lead Hasn’t Done Research. (Always Give Your Customer The Info They Ask For.) Tip By Grant Cardone

“Companies that make themselves rely on internet leads are 100% more profitable than those that don’t. – Grant Cardone“

Internet leads.

When you hear that, do you cringe, or get excited?

Truth is that good internet leads are a game changer if your business handles them properly. Think about it this way… How many “Walk In Leads” would buy from your store if they get punched upon entering?(I’ll Bet Not Many.)

The same should be applied to your internet leads. Never punch them in the face, but help them like you would want to be helped, and you will close more deals.

Here are 3 Ways Grant Cardone Suggest Handling Internet Leads. (GC Is A Sales Genius, You’d Be Crazy Not To Listen.)

Never Assume – One huge mistake that your sales team could be making is assuming an ignorant buyer. Internet leads tend to be VERY educated customers, and they will know if you are blowing smoke. Assuming that your customer is uneducated is a huge mistake for any sales person. A good way to not fall into this trap is by asking your customer the research they have already done. Simply saying “What research have you already done on (The Product), because I would hate to waste your time by telling you things you already know” can save you time, and help you close the sale more.
Speed Matters – Don’t treat your internet leads like a cold call. People that inquire about your product from your website are looking to buy, and this makes them a great customer prospect. Respond promptly to your internet leads, and you will see better results.
Give The Info – As we have stated above, most internet leads are very educated on your product, and competitor products. This means that you should always give them the information they ask for. Don’t give internet leads the run around, provide the information your online customer ask for, and your internet closing rate will increase.

Click Here To Read The Entire Blog By Grant Cardone

4. Integrate Social Media Across Your Organization. (Not Just Your Marketing Department) Tip By Heidi Cohen

“If you still think marketing when someone says social media, you’re behind the curve. – Heidi Cohen“

Social Media is no longer just an internet marketing platform, but it is a way for everyone to connect in seconds. Your best friends, family, and even your arch enemy are just a URL link away.

You can connect, chat, and even stream your daily activities straight from your cell phone! The power of this connectivity is endless for your business potential.

But… How can connecting your digital strategy with your daily practices benefit your business?

Use Private Groups For Employees – It’s a great idea for your company to integrate your employees into your Social Media strategy. Start a closed group and make it mandatory for all employees to join the group. Encourage your employees to use the group to discuss work events, schedule changes, and anything else going on in your business. This open line of communication builds strong work relationships, and will help you in more ways then you think.
Encourage Your Company To Respond On Your Page – Post social content onto your Social Media platforms and encourage your company to engage with the content. Comments, Likes, and Even Sharing your pages content will increase the brand of your business. If your Facebook Page post something about your product, and a customer asks a question on the Facebook page reward your employees for answering them correctly. Having your customers, and employees engage on your Social Media has huge upside.
Open A Facebook Group For Customer Questions – Create a group that your product specialist, and your customers join. Have you customers post questions they may have about your product and have your experts answer. Give your customers great videos showing them how to use, maintain, and other great information about your product and you will start building a lasting relationship with your customers.

Click Here To Read The Entire Blog By Heidi Cohen

5. Optimize Google Maps For Amazing Local SEO. Tip By Neil Patel

“When it comes to local SEO, Google Maps is the most important factor. – Neil Patel“

Today’s market is huge, so how do people actually find your business? Now some people will just walk in from the street… But what about everyone else?

Businesses in the digital age are now being found straight from the mobile phone. You just pull out your handy dandy pocket computer, google a keyword, and there you go! Exactly what you’re looking for.

Now for the tricky part, what if your business is not showing up when a local person Googles your service?

Your Business Could Be In Big Trouble…

The good news is that you can start getting ranked organically for local search just by getting on Google Maps(aka Google My Business).

MOZ had a discussion on the top 100 factors for local search rank, and Google My Business was a factor in 35 of them. That means that you can almost fix all of your local search ranking problems just by getting your business verified on Google My Business (It really is that powerful).

Therefore, if your business provides a product\service to your local market than get on Google My Business in order to rank better in local search results.

But Wait, There’s More!

Not only will being on Google My Business allow you to rank better in local search, but it will allow you to connect your YouTube account, update business/holiday hours, and even upload pictures to brand your business.

Also another great reason to be on Google My Business is that it allows you to respond to each Google review about your business. You can thank people that love your product/service, and handle bad reviews to increase customer service. It’s a Win-Win for both you, and your customer.

Click Here To Read The Entire Blog On Local Search By Neil Patel

Hope You Enjoyed These Internet Marketing Tips

In conclusion, Internet Businesses are becoming more important as each day passes. Start building your internet presence by using these 5 internet marketing tips, and you will be on your way to a more profitable business.