It’s not uncommon in ‘down markets’ to see over-reactive pull backs along with those retailers that understand they can’t stop doing what they do.  It’s another thing to ignore customers that want to buy, both by reach and response.  There is a big buzz now about blogs and social marketing and whether car dealers should even touch the space.

Anything that you do needs to be completely done.  I was talking yesterday with an industry colleague that is heading out on his own to consult at dealerships for the first time. The only issue he mentioned as a hurdle was finding the ‘good’ dealers versus the dealers that start things and never actually do them to pay dirt.  He’s not only right, he’s lived it at retail for years so hopefully he can find the light at the end of the tunnel (which is what consultants do every day).

Nearly every day now I hear “we’re holding on right now and will see how it goes over the next couple weeks or months”.  Every day you hold on, every ready-to-buy customer that does not see your online ad now, each Internet up that does not receive a complete and engaging response from you/your sales team, is another day of loss.  If you’re going to stop doing one thing, do another.  Figure out not only what you’re saving but what you’re not receiving.

Hold on too tight and you’re not left with anything.  Do the opposite and you may get the same result.  Challenges are best met with resolve, ideas and effort.  Go the middle route and expect to succeed by following through.  Do everything you can to win, not everything you can to not lose.

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results