Pat McGrath Chevyland is the winner of April’s Outstanding Dealership Website. The dealership has spring boarded into social media by utilizing blogs, facebook and youtube in the context of their site. They utilize live chat, customer reviews, current tv spots and the cartoon character ”Mr. Big Volume” to expand the brand set by their traditional advertising. A special congratulations to Pat McGrath Chevyland!
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. posted net income of $2.1 billion in the first quarter, almost twice the figure projected by analysts, fueled by a 37 percent rise in U.S. sales.
The profit compared with a loss of $1.4 billion a year earlier. Revenue rose to $28.1 billion from $24.4 billion. The automaker said it will boost second-quarter production.
The results prompted Ford to advance its forecast for becoming “solidly profitable” to this year instead of 2011.
“Our plan is working, and the basic engine that drives our business results — products, market share, revenue, and cost structure — is performing stronger each quarter, even as the economy and vehicle demand remain relatively soft,” CEO Alan Mulally said in a statement.
The name says it all. Most dealerships have managers in all departments, but the newest ones that are starting to pop up in stores across America are Social Media Managers. Yes, you read that correctly – stores are now hiring people to come into their dealership on a daily basis and update their Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and numerous other accounts that keep them in the forefront of their customers’ digital dashboard.
Some quick facts on this person:
Usually younger, mid 30’s or under
No automotive experience needed (great if they had it but you want a technical person, not a car guy)
Needs to be paid as an hourly or salaried employee
Needs a “set in stone” job description, complete with daily tasks
Must be able to take over all Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and LinkedIn accounts and manage them well
Must be treated similar to any other manager – otherwise any initiatives they have in gathering information or “finding friends” will be a futile effort
Needs to be allowed a minimal budget $1000 to $1500 a month to post Facebook ads or dabble with inexpensive ways to increase your online impressions
Several dealerships that STRONG, LLC works with have recently hired and set into place a Social Media Manager. Many more are considering doing so. It is a way to bridge the gap in your dealership of having retail, sales-minded staff with those who are on the very edge of the latest trends to attract followers.
For more information on a Social Media Manager – please contact John Paul Strong.
Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: Other includes estimates for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus
*Includes Mini and Rolls-Royce
**Includes Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Smart
***Includes Volvo
****Includes Saab through February 2010
†Includes Honda Division and Acura
††Includes Hyundai and Kia
†††Includes Nissan Division and Infiniti
‡The sale of Saab was final on February 23, 2010
‡‡Includes Toyota Division, Lexus and Scion
‡‡‡Includes VW, Audi and Bentley
MARCH U.S. AUTO SALES
Ford, Toyota soar as incentives fuel 24% industry gain
DETROIT — Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. posted big U.S. sales gains in March as industrywide incentives and improving consumer confidence brought buyers back to showrooms.
General Motors Co. deliveries rose 21 percent, enough to overtake Ford, which grabbed the top U.S. spot in February for the first time since 1998. Ford sales jumped 40 percent, while Toyota posted a 41 percent increase.
Total U.S. sales advanced 24 percent from the depressed levels of March 2009, when automakers were battling the weakest demand in almost three decades. The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of 11.7 million was lower than analysts’ forecasts but still marked the year’s strongest and the second healthiest since August, when the U.S. cash-for-clunkers campaign boosted sales.
