| After you get done reading this article, go to the | | | | advertising was dead. It nearly was. The difference is |
| computer and pull up I want to you try a little | | | | that it evolved. It changed from epileptic banners all |
| experiment. Try typing in your dealership name in the | | | | over to the place with deceptive offers to letting the |
| search area. Do you come up? Are you even ranked | | | | customer search for some thing and then giving them |
| first, second, third? Now try typing in a few different | | | | a choice whether or not to find out more information. |
| combinations - the makes you sell plus your town or | | | | With the evolution of choice and the sites that directly |
| used makes and your town (Chevrolet St. Louis, Used | | | | market to the customer needs, it has made Internet |
| VW Pittsburgh). Coming up now?From my research | | | | advertising the home run that ad agencies and |
| about 90% of you won't appear. That isn't necessarily | | | | advertisers have tried to find since the direct mail piece |
| your fault or your website provider's. It is something | | | | was printed. |
| that you need to fix. Back in the "old days" (last year) it | | | | I have preached in many articles that taking a serious |
| really didn't matter how you appeared in the search | | | | look at Internet advertising should be something each |
| engines. In this day and age the Internet Search | | | | dealership should do. Some have listened and many |
| Engines are the New Yellow Page Ads. If you didn't | | | | have not. Find the best solution for your dealership in |
| have a yellow page ad in the past chances were that | | | | your hands. Those who start on this journey are in a |
| you wouldn't get the first call. Search engines are the | | | | better position tomorrow. The Internet constantly |
| exact same way. You have to be there for them to | | | | evolves. Imagine back in the 70's if you bought a |
| call your website.Google has become the leader in the | | | | Honda dealership. Yes, there was an upside from gas |
| online race. You may have heard of this little company | | | | crunches and the trend toward more fuel efficiency. |
| whose stock has doubled in less than a month. I get | | | | You didn't sell them like they were going out of style. |
| questions all the time about why is Google stock is so | | | | Imagine what that dealership would be worth today in |
| much. It is because advertisers, advertising companies, | | | | a nice growing metro area.The point of the story: |
| and consumers can connect and connect easily | | | | investing in the Internet today is like buying a Honda |
| without all the junk that is on other sites. People are | | | | dealership in the 70's. Except this time you have the |
| looking for easy ways on the Internet to find the | | | | foresight to see what is coming up over the next few |
| information they need. Google connects you to your | | | | years. Building your online presence is a return that you |
| customer.Some will say that they don't use Google. | | | | will reap for years to come no matter how small or |
| You might use MSN or Yahoo or twenty other | | | | how large the investment. So find a way to start |
| different engines out there. It doesn't matter which one | | | | making it work for you today. Search engine |
| you use. You have to be there on all of them in some | | | | advertising and marketing will be done in your area. |
| shape or form. You can pay a company to do it or | | | | Lock it up with your operation now before your |
| you can research it yourself and make it happen.Most | | | | competition does.Todd Swickard, Chief Executive |
| people don't know how valuable having a good ranking | | | | OfficerTodd Swickard founded Auto Supplier |
| on the search engines is for their business. The ones | | | | Marketing, LLC in February 2002. Drawing on his vast |
| that do know it - don't want you to find out. When you | | | | experience from Compaq, AutoTrader.com, and |
| look at all the other media that is out there and you | | | | Dealer.com, he was able to compile a multi-media |
| break it down, it becomes real simple to see why the | | | | company that targets niche markets across the |
| manufacturers are dumping money into online | | | | country. In less then 6 months a site was launched and |
| advertising. It is cheaper in relative terms and provides | | | | over 200 dealers from across the country had been |
| in many cases and return on investment.The rules | | | | formed into a network. All this with very little venture |
| have changed for everyone. Many makes out there | | | | capital invested.A veteran of the dot com industry, |
| will now allow you to Co-op this advertising expense. It | | | | Todd has seen it all. It has been his personal goal to |
| has come from the Internet being the evil step child of | | | | create a marketing company that drives results with |
| advertising to one of the shining stars for dealerships. If | | | | ROI and accountability. His methodology keeps |
| you don't know already, find out if your brand allows | | | | campaigns within budget producing infinite results and |
| co-op and be the hero of the dealership by finding a | | | | return on investment. Todd's true measure of success |
| way to bring more qualified traffic and leads to your | | | | is in the success of our clients. |
| website.As recent as last year, they said that Internet | | | | |