On a serious note, GREAT article Richard, mean that…

While the auto dealers who “get it” already understand the relationship building nature of social media, many others do just see this as an advertising source.

I think the dealer’s social media plan has to begin with proper expectations of a long-term branding strategy coupled with customer (and potential customer) interaction. Surely, the end goal will be to build brand and ultimately sell more cars, that goal will only be achieved through addressing this medium the right way. Listen. Engage. Create. The results will follow.

Relationship based selling has been the cornerstone of most long term successful marketing platforms in the auto industry and other retail verticals. In the real world these relationships were developed through community networking at Chambers of Commerce, Kiwanis and the Boy Scout Troop that an auto dealer supported. Social networking on the Internet has taken old school networking to the next level and the associated technologies that crash through the glass wall with viral marketing channels and relevant information distributed through videos and linked personalized offers vs. hard sell retail messages suggest that the trend will continue. After all, what are friends for!