This week I’ve seen an overwhelming amount of blog posts and twitter feeds surrounding the “new” PR. But I have to say, the new PR looks a lot like the old PR, just gift wrapped with nicer paper. Relationships still matter. Pitches still need to be compelling. Press Release pros still need to be creative.

While these truths will never change, there has been a fundamental change in the way Press Release is delivered. Below I’d like to share some of the more common changes coming:

The Press Release is Dead.

Perhaps I should say the way we use it as a tool is in the advanced stages of rigor mortis. Today’s press releases are more about SEO and driving up page rankings than a vehicle for getting news out. I still send releases, but today they’re more to drive additional traffic back to landing pages and fill Google with company news. Bylines, videos on YouTube and blogs written by thought leaders are emerging as the new vehicle to push a company into the spotlight.

Relationships still reign.

While it’s easier than ever to bombard editors and reporters with pitches through Twitter, relationships still reign in new media. Why shotgun messages to bloggers email boxes and pitch via Twitter if you don’t have a personal relationship with the reporter? I’ve been the recipient of several pitches from PR rookies who don’t know what I blog about or who makes up my audience. (Clue to PR peeps, my blog is attached to my website that proves; I too, dabble in PR.) It still makes sense to take the time to build a relationship BEFORE the pitch. Otherwise, it’s just white noise.

You are the publisher.

With blogs, paper.li and Twitter anyone and everyone can be their own publisher. Become a thought leader in the space by building your own community. Guest post on blogs, write bylines and tweet your thoughts. It’s much easier than it used to be to create buzz. A word of caution here; ensure what you’re putting out is useful and educational. Online readers can see through promotions and douchey posts. I promise.

AVE needs to just go away.

Ad Value Equivalency (AVE) is the old way to measure PR progress. It’s based on multiplying the space occupied by a clip by the ad rate of the page. I understand the need to quantify PR, I do. But there are many better ways to measure PR than this antiquated method. One great way to do it is the amount of buzz that has been created. Are people engaged? Are they responding to your posts? Are your website numbers up? Determine what customer engagement looks like and then use that number to measure success.

I know this might be a little in left field for the DealerRefresh reader at the dealership, but if you are taking your dealership blog serious, working community events while tying it into your dealers online social presence to engage the consumer, then you know what I'm talking about.

If you want to delve deeper into the new reality of PR, I highly recommend the book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott or check out his blog at WebInkNow. Not that he needs any further buzz, he’s already using the tips above.

Can You Handle the BEST Price For a Used Car Question?

Awhile back I wrote an article on 4 Ways to Handle the "I Want Your best Price" Question on new vehicles. Well this month we’re going to examine how to handle the same question on pre-owned vehicles.

I randomly mystery shopped five different dealerships across the country to see if anyone was delivering a powerful message when asked, “What is the best price on this pre-owned vehicle?” I used AutoTrader for my search engine. For each market I used a 25 mile radius search on a 2010 or 2011 pre-owned Camry. I then chose the dealer who had the most expensive Toyota Camry at the top of the list.

Call one was to a D.C. area Toyota dealer. On this call I got a salesperson who had limited skills when it came to handling phone-ups. When asked the best price question he offered me a couple hundred dollars off. He did take my name and number and offered to call me back. About 30 minutes later I got a phone call from another person at the dealership who was presumably his manager. He did give me a very good explanation on their pricing policy, but failed to ask for the appointment when finished.

Listen to call one here:

Call two was to a Boston area Toyota dealer. This salesperson was about as poor as it gets when handling a phone-up. When I asked the “best price” question I was told that the price advertised was the lowest. He never asked for my information by the end of the call, nor had he offered his information. I did get a call back from a sales manager about 30 minutes later and he played the range game with me.

Listen to call two here:

Call three was to a Detroit area Toyota dealer. This salesperson had some phone training, but the problem was that it wasn't delivered properly and he was confrontational with me when I would not give him my phone number. Had he given me a reason to give a number, I would have provided it. He was very close to saying the right things, but could have explained the dealership process a little better.

Listen to call three here:

Call four was to a Dallas area Toyota dealer. This call did not go well for the dealership or the salesperson. When asked the best price question I was told they would consider any reasonable offer. I told him his price was high in comparison to another dealer on AutoTrader, and at that point he gave up without trying to get my information or offer his.

Listen to call four here:

Call five was to a San Francisco area Toyota dealer. The number listed on Autotrader directed me to a salespersons cell phone which is one of the worst mistakes a dealership can make. My initial call was off-lined since the salesperson was out of the dealership. He offered to call me back, but I told him I would call him back ten minutes later. When I called back he offered to take $600 of the asking price yet he never even asked me to come in. When I mentioned I might stop by he just told me to ask for him and never attempted to get my information or set the appointment.

Listen to call five here:

How should the “best price” question be handled?

1. Ask about the trade! Just like with a new car we need to bring the trade into the equation.  Not one person asked me if I was going to trade in a vehicle.  When the customer tells you they have a trade, I encourage you to ask questions to indicate your interest in their trade.  Never tell a customer “oh that’s a wholesale piece.” What you should say is, “I am confident we can get you top dollar for your trade.  When is the last time you had your vehicle professionally appraised?  Not only will we get you the lowest price on this Camry, but we’ll also get you as much money as possible for your trade.  When are you available, now or later today?”
   
2. Invite the customer to the dealership! Don’t get hung up on giving a price out over the phone.  I personally wouldn’t buy a pre-owned lawn mower without first laying eyes on the product, why should a car be any different?  I suggest saying something like this:  “(Customer first name), all of our vehicles are priced at or below book value.  If they weren’t, we wouldn’t be the largest dealer in our market!  The best thing for you to do is come on down to the dealership and look this vehicle over.  If you like the car, we won’t let price stand in the way of you making a fair purchase.  You are going to love this Camry and it really is a nice one!   When would be the best time for you to come in, now or later today?”
   
3. Sell the dealership and warranty! Be prepared to tell the customer about your dealership’s advantages and warranty policies on pre-owned vehicles.  If your vehicle is certified it can often command a higher price and you will need to explain the value of certified to your potential customer.
   
4. Give a price as a last resort. “(Customer first name), I am not authorized to give out final pricing and I’ll need to check with my manager.  I can tell you that he/she normally gives better pricing when customers are here at the dealership.  As you know your presence is your leverage.  Would you like a price over the phone, or would you like to come in and get a better price in person?”  Go for the appointment!  If they want the price over the phone, this will be a rare occasion where you’ll have to off-line the caller and call back with a price.
   
5. You are your own little business within a business, invest in this process and watch it work. Would you spend $20 bucks to make a few hundred?  Then keep a few gas cards in your possession and offer them as a way to bring customers in.  “When you come to our dealership you’re going to be happy with the deal we give you.  If I can’t earn your business, I’ll give you a $20 gas card for your time.  That sounds reasonable, right?  Are you available today or tomorrow?”
   
6. Use Video! If you are unable to secure an appointment, make a video of the vehicle of interest and sell, sell, sell!  Include videos of other like vehicles as well.  Make sure you secure the customers e-mail address so you’ll know where to send the videos.  Once delivered, make sure you make a follow-up call and ask for the appointment.

I would like to address all the managers reading this article.  We need to lead by example.  It’s easy to tell an employee what to say, but a good leader will pick up the phone and teach their employees how it’s done.  Often managers won’t do this for fear of failure themselves.  I often get managers on the phone when shopping dealerships and they struggle right along with the sales team.

I also suggest that used car managers take the time for regular meetings to introduce new units to the dealership.  Once or twice a week the sales team can walk the lot to learn about the inventory.  The salesperson who took the trade in can give the briefing on the new arrivals.  Vehicles bought at auction can be introduced by the used car manager.  Knowing your inventory will help increase sales.

Do you have a unique way of handling price objections on pre-owned vehicles?