By Kathi Kruse,
Founder,
Kruse Control Inc.
If there’s one constant about Facebook, it's change - a new feature or advertising element, some trick to learn, or another way to be more visible. Unfortunately, many dealerships unknowingly make several Facebook mistakes without even knowing it, hindering their success.
Facebook is a valuable tool for business, and there are a lot of pitfalls to watch out for. Here’s a list of the most common Facebook mistakes you should avoid and what to do instead.
Facebook Essentials for Your Dealership - 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid & What to Do on Facebook
Mistake 1: Taking Off Without a "Runway"
Facebook success is in the details. So before you take to the airwaves of social media, you need a plan.
It's like this: if you're taking a trip and you don't know the way to your destination, you check the GPS app on your phone. You do this because it saves time, expense, and a lot of needless suffering.
Social media strategy works the same way.
Begin with the end goal(s) in mind. The top dealership goals are merchandising your vehicles, gaining more website visits, engaging customers, and generating leads.
Once you've determined your goals, you'll need a social media strategy "runway" to reach them.
Mistake 2: Making It All About You
Facebook is successful when you've provided entertaining, helpful, and shareable content. Think about the Facebook pages you follow and why you follow them. It's not so you can see sales promotions.
Fans and customers are no different than you!
People stay engaged when the posts they see are meaningful to them.
Before you post, ask yourself this simple question: “Is this something our customers would like to see?â€
Pro Tip: Avoid violating Facebook's Terms of Service. I can't tell you how many pages I see broadcasting sales messages through the newsfeed. Save those messages for Facebook ads, and you'll avoid the pain of having your fans click to the nearest exit.
Mistake 3: Failing to Engage Regularly
One of the best ways to build a lively, loyal community on Facebook is by regularly engaging with your fans.
Facebook is not a one-way communication tool. Create a solid engagement strategy that includes designating someone (or a team) to engage with the people who comment on your posts.
Engage could mean something as simple as liking every comment on each post.
Engaging your audience means responding to all page messages and reviews— both positive and negative. Every negative comment is an opportunity to turn a critic into a fan.
Even still today, I see many Facebook pages where the page admins ignore their comments.
Abandoning your customers on Facebook tells them either you aren't paying attention or don't care.
Mistake 4: No Serious Investment
If you've spent any time in the Facebook ecosystem, you know that success requires an investment. Building trust takes time; if Facebook is your chosen platform, you should prepare to expend some resources.
A Facebook page should be considered a valuable company asset, and as such, there are investments required to retain its value:
Sometimes a dealership will need to restructure its operations to accommodate social media and spend resources more effectively.
If your team doesn't have the expertise, there may be a need to invest in training.
Pro Tip 1: It's unhealthy to think Facebook is "free." That thinking will only allow your competitors to take all the customers.
Pro Tip 2: If you're not ready to make an investment in social media, don't. It differs from the old days when you paid for exposure and people flocked to your store. Hard work only pays off if you're willing to go for it.
Mistake 5: Not Completing Your "About" Section
Your Facebook “About†section projects the image of your business. Successful Facebook marketing includes making good use of the "free real estate" that's available. Note this is an essential step when setting up and optimizing your page.
You want to ensure your “About†is complete and sends the right message to anyone visiting your page.
Mistake 6: Not Using Facebook Ads
Facebook advertising is a strategic complement to your current advertising budget. Facebook ads let you grow your business without adding a hefty expense. There are specific strategies for every kind of budget.
Part of your investment in Facebook is for Facebook ads. Simply put, you will only succeed if you run paid ads. Why?
Ten years ago, social media was a fertile field of wildflowers, full of kittens and unicorns. The marketing landscape was wide open for dealerships to capture attention and engage like-minded customers.
Today, social media is a dense, crowded, noisy, smoggy urban jungle.
Simple tactics alone are no longer effective. Instead, you must pay to promote your content and products on Facebook using Facebook ads.
The good news is that Facebook ads work! Not leveraging this powerful tool is a mistake.
Mistake 7: Failing to Track, Measure, and Analyze Your Results
Too often, companies jump onto Facebook without a plan or a clear idea of what success means for them. Look for success markers on your Facebook journey.
Just like the maps app on your phone shows the best route to take toward your destination, Facebook KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) guide you to what success looks like for your Facebook marketing. KPIs provide a solid foundation from which to measure results.
Develop a process (including the tools you'll need) to track, measure, and analyze. Facebook allows you to figure out what's working and what's not in real time. Part of this process should include a designated social media manager with the skills to track, analyze and report data.
Facebook Mistakes Don't Have to Happen
First, educate yourself on what’s available to dealers. There are many powerful ways to merchandize your vehicles, and it takes time to see your way to the right one.
Finally, commit to social media, not because you think it’s what you “need to do†but because you feel confident it will improve sales. Facebook is powerful - but only if you're all in. This power only works to your advantage when you're firing on all cylinders.
Kathi Kruse is an automotive digital retail advisor, dealership profitability expert, author, speaker, and founder/CEO of Kruse Control Inc. Born in the heart of Los Angeles to a family of “car people,†Kathi’s passion for business spans a 25-year automotive retail career, managing $100 million+ stores in Southern California.