John Miller's Page

There is a lot of "BUZZ" today on social networks and aggressive retilers around "MAVERICK".  My purpose in this blog is to give insights into how an Internet Director in an automotive dealership connects with buyers and presents vehicles for sale.  


That being my brief set up; I want to dissect the word "Maverick".  I am concerned that some marketing firms and sales training companies spin the word maverick because when most people here the word maverick, the image of a 1972 Hot-Rod with shiny wheels, or the famous movie with the fighter jets.  Some think of the cowboy on his horse on the plains minding his doggies straying too far from the heard.  


It makes sense that these images would come to mind.  One definition, the first instance in most dictionaries, is    an unbranded animal, esp. a strayed calf.  To relate that to human behavior we can pretty it up a bit calling maverick: Informal a person who takes an independent stand, as in politics, from that of a party or group.  I think that If I surveyed 100 car buyers and asked them if they would prefer to deal with someone who would take an independent stand from other dealerships, I think the results would be an overwhelming yes.  


Another idea around "Maverick" takes this soft pretty indication, and adds a little spice.  Here is the spiced up  definition: someone who is independent and not a follower.  Now we're getting somewhere!  You're probably even reading faster now that the words are becoming a bit more fun.  Here are some synonyms for this version: dissident, trailblazer, heretic, rebel, renegade, (adj.) individual, eccentric.  WOW!  Now would you buy a car from a Maverick?  


I am staking a lot of money, time and effort on the trust that most would.  You see, all it takes is a quick trip around the internet to find out how automotive marketing is done today.  You'll notice FLASHING BANNERS, Bold font.  lots of !!! exclamation marks and bright colors.  How can anyone focus on spending $20,000-$60,000 on a car with all the distraction?  Where does this distraction come from?


The distraction comes for the unethical third party sites.  It is estimate that 82 % of the vehicles that show up on search results in any given city exist only in a stock photo cache in a server hundreds or thousands of miles away.  Let me explain.  Years ago internet marketing was new to dealerships, no dealer knew how to effectively display cars on the web, enter third party.  In the begining, the third party was a boon for automotive dealers.  Early internet sales came about by third party sites advertising in a newspaper, magazine or internet site. Shoppers would fill out a form for price quotes on cars.  Before the internet, it was unheard of to find out pricing before selecting the specific vehicle choice.  The realization that change was around the corner happened hard and fast when this first of the sacred realities of the auto industry was desecrated.


Next step, the Search aggregator. This is like internet price quote on steroids.  Automotive search providers reveled in the face that they would have hundreds, thousands and some times tens of thousands of cars if you pool nationwide inventory searches from all dealerships.  Sounds great right?  All the cars in one place, convenient right?  Well, you tell me.  When a shopper visits an AGGREGATOR (no names will be mention you TRADER) it is important for the AGGREGATOR to have the most important thing to AGGREGATE: your information.  It seems unnatural that these sites can ask a shopper to; select a specific zip code, then price range or make and model only to be required to complete a form to see vehicles in inventory.  I know that is the greater at my local Grocery asked for my name: last,first; phone number: home, work, cell; and my email address, I would find a grocery where it is free to shop.  You never want to fill out a form BEFORE you see merchandise.


I can assure you that when you do to my dealership sites you'll find a site that is ready to serve your needs.  You will find easy, quick and convenient navigation.  No streaming, flashing, scrolling banners from every other advertiser in the internet.  At Bradshaw Automotive you deserve to focus on what is important. The Car.  


That being said, What about the dissection of the word Maverick?  Did you notice that there was one word in this blog of a lighter grey font?  The word that I was foreshadowing is Renegade.  Renegade is listed as a synonym for Maverick, however I think it is Maverick on steroids.  Renegade's definition is as follows: A renegade is a person who abandons the religious, political, or philosophical beliefs that he or she used to have, and accepts opposing or different beliefs.  So a Renegade not only marches to a beat of a different drum, a RENEGADE starts playing guitar instead and doing lead vocals.  If being an automotive RENEGADE means cutting ties with the third party AGGREGATORS that are bad for shoppers and dealers, then that is me.  


If it's that easy why doesn't every dealer get rid of AGGREGATORS?  Hold on Being a RENEGADE holds no promise of ease.  RENEGADE is scary. -- I like being scared a little, it keeps me focused. --  Renegade means say goodbye to 100 to 200 e-mail addresses of shoppers within a certain radius of a dealership who said to an AGGREGATOR "I might like to have this please".  RENEGADE means abandon, and accept opposing belief.  If an Internet Director choices this path of RENEGADE, how in the world is he to exist in a sales environment?  


Enter Social Media Networking.  Notice a Change in the Blog title from "Internet Director" to "Social Networks Director" this comes after months of evolution, into an automotive executive who understands the value of having a modern, relevant way to engage shoppers.  Gone of the days of BULL HORN, yellow caution tape, tent sales, flashy banners on AGGREGATOR sites etc.  You deserve to have a true, transparent, continuing relationship with your automotive dealership.  You DESERVE, look at the money you spend on transportation.  I commit that it is my mission to DOMINATE the AGGREGATORS in Greenville South Carolina for the benefit of Greenville Area Shoppers, and to be a RENEGADE.  You can help me by allowing me feedback on social networking sites where you see Breakaway Honda, Bradshaw Automotive, Bradshaw Acura or Bradshaw Infiniti.  Also if you can read, tweet, retweet, facebook, stumbl, digg and whichever share site you prefer communicate this to others I could really use the help.  It is going to take a mountain of content to silence the AGGREGATORS.  The only way to be more relevant is to provide better, more useful content on my websites, find interesting ways for you to engage and enjoy the sites I provide and for me to live up to my promise of being RENEGADE.