Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
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COVER STORY By Brad Smith Which social media outlets are right for your dealership? Last article in a two-part series M any of you already use social media in your personal lives, but developing a social media marketing strategy for your business goes far beyond logging in and clicking "share." Use this article as the key to jumpstart your dealership's social media marketing strategy. Getting started If you're just starting with social media, your goal should be to create a channel where your customers can connect with your dealership and learn more about your products and services. It is important to develop an executable strategy for social media success for every social channel you launch — many eager social media newbies launch five social channels at once, just to let them die because they don't have the time, know-how or funds to maintain each channel. To get the most out of your social 12 media strategy, introduce new channels one at a time. Once you are comfortable with posting to a channel, consider adding a new channel, if and only if the existing channels will not be neglected as soon as the new network is established. After creating your social channel(s), it's important to make it easy for your existing customers and Google Plus (G+) to find your social channels. When people come from your website to your social channel and vice versa, G+ takes note — making your products and services discoverable by millions of people.You can also make it easier for site visitors to find you socially by adding social icons to the top of your website's pages. So many outlets, which one to choose? Each of the following networks has its own social niche. The following is a brief description of each and its benefits, as well as best practices to help you determine OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT Google Plus (G+) As the leader in Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Google aims to make sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Not only is G+ a social networking channel, but Google controls 65.2 percent1 of what searchers find online. If you set up nothing else, setting up your Google Business account is imperative and will give you the most value. Generally speaking, the audience is made up of consumers who do not "know" you. How to use Google Plus By creating a G+ account, you claim your Google Business Page. Until you do, G+ will provide information about your dealership that has been gathered from various sources around the web, correct or not. Lock down your dealership information to get the most out of Google services. Beyond your initial dealership information, you can expand the basic listing by: • Telling prospects about your dealership's history, etc. — things that will make them confident that you know your customers, products and services inside and out. • Inventing fun ways to tell your circles what your dealership does, so your customers will know you're knowledgeable. • Getting people excited about a new product line you carry. Sometimes visual inspiration can really get people excited about a new product. Be creative — take and post pictures of products, or simply post teasers to get homeowners or landscapers excited about what's coming next. Frequency Post new information to your G+ Business Account at least two times per week. www.outdoorpowerequipment.com Image ©istockphoto.com/zdravkovic which social networks will best fit into your social media strategy.