Social Media for Dealers

A resource from HuebnerPetersen's Dealer Marketing Services

November 30, 2010 • 12:00 am 1

RVIA is getting social!

RVIA Expo in Louisville

Your annual trip to the RVIA Expo in Louisville is the perfect time to get social and engage online. There are so many great opportunities at your fingertips, here are a few ideas to help you get a jumpstart:

1.  Write a blog post about the updated “green materials” you see in the 2011 product

2.  Post pictures of the most impressive new units (and their interiors) on your Facebook page

3.  Twitter positive quotes & ideas from the Outlook Breakfast

4.  Make LinkedIn connections with the different people you meet

5.  Take pictures of new units you’ll soon have at your dealership, make a gallery on Flickr

6. Blog about what makes you most excited about the 2011 product and what your customers can expect to see on your lot in the next few months

Use your trip to RVIA to get your customers as excited as you are about the upcoming year and units! Don’t miss any opportunity to share your experience and engage with your connections.

Filed under: Quick Tips, , , , , , , ,

October 22, 2010 • 1:57 pm 1

What to write, edition #238

Social Media topics for winter

The leaves have fallen and the cold weather is setting in. Winter isn’t far off on the horizon and the RV business (for most of the continent) is starting to slow down. It might be the off season, but that just means that it’s time to really focus on your dealership’s social media plan! It’s time to brainstorm and sharpen your social media writing skills!  To help you get started (or to help you continue what you already have going) here are a few topic ideas that capitalize on the change of seasons:

  • What is winterization and why is it important for my RV?
  • Tweet about openings for service and winterization appointments.
  • Write about what makes a good storage site for winter.
  • List out several of the RV storage options available in your area.
  • List out your best tips for winter camping and or RV traveling.
  • Make a list of winter RV destinations (Florida!).
  • What will your employees be dressing up as for Halloween? Any Halloween events going on at your dealership?
  • Put together holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) promotions geared specifically for social media.
  • Provide a list of RV accessories to help your “snowbirds” travel to warmer climates.  Offer coupons for a few of them!
  • Post pictures favorite “RV getaways” for winter

The weather makes it seem like it’s time to hibernate, but it’s not!  Even in winter, the social media possibilities really are endless.

Filed under: what to write, , , , , , , , ,

September 13, 2010 • 7:25 am 0

Spice up your blog!

Top 10 RV blogging tips

Building a blog for your RV dealership is one of the best ways to reaching out to potential customers on the social web.  A blog is a terrific platform for sharing your RV expertise, soliciting questions (and providing answers!), keeping customers updated on events, and building content you can use elsewhere (think Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, discussion boards).  However, writing regularly on your blog is a tough commitment (consistent writing is a must) and coming up with topics day after day (week after week) can be a challenge.

Not to fear!  That’s entirely why rvsocialmedia.com is here!  Today, we’ve stumbled on a list of 69 Secret Tips To Make Your Blog Rock from Jeff Bullas.  We’ve scoured his list and have pulled out our favorite 10 tips for RV dealership blogging:

  • Write about industry News – whats happening this week, this month
  • Find out about your customers Pain Points – Write posts that provide solutions for your customers problems
  • Publish content on what not to do! – highlighting where something hasn’t worked (the names shall remain anonymous of course)
  • Subscribe to the top industry blogs in your market, both company blogs and personal blogs for ideas
  • Sign up other staff to write on topics in your industry or market that they are passionate about
  • When you have a great idea, go straight to your “add new” button and write the headline and save it as a draft or write it down before you forget it.
  • Run polls and surveys on your blog
  • Make the blog easy to find on your company’s web page with a large banner or button
  • Comment on other blogs and news articles to show your thinking/expertise, but also link people back to your blog
  • Link to your blog on your Facebook fan page

*Photo credit: Marcus Zorbis


Filed under: Blogging, , , , , ,

July 22, 2010 • 11:39 am 0

Your dealership – not so frequently asked questions.

Opening your dealership up using social media

Developing topics and themes for writing seems to be the #1 request we get. We’ve got ideas all over the place — here, here, and here for starters. But, why not take it a step further. Social media is about interaction, about getting personal (like sharing your RV dealership’s story) and opening yourself up to your fans and customers.

Solicit your fans and followers to see what they want to know. Answer some tough questions, bring up some insightful topics and let them get to know your business on a deeper level.

You could do a FAQ’s post (or a “not so frequently asked questions post”), answer one question a week or post in any other fashion you can devise. Here are some questions to get you started, and to give your followers an idea of what to ask:

  • What drew you to the RV manufacturers you carry? Why do you continue to carry their products today?
  • What is your favorite part of the RV sales process and why?
  • What is your favorite role that you’ve held at your RV dealership?
  • What got you into this business in the first place? What motivates you to stay with it today?
  • What is your favorite, all time, RV dealership memory?
  • How has your RV dealership changed over the years?
  • Why are you passionate about the RV industry? Why do you love it?

Answer honestly. Don’t making selling your focus. Be yourself.

*Photo Credit: Leo Reynolds

Filed under: Blogging, what to write, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 16, 2010 • 2:00 pm 1

What to write #424: Sizzlin’ Summer Edition

Talk about road trip destinations

It’s summer, the busiest time of the year in the RVing world, so it’s a time when blog ideas should be sprouting like crazy! BUT, just in case you’re having a little trouble generating topics or thinking of things to post about, here are a few thoughts to get you started on your summer social media posting:

1.  Write about the new 2011 RV products you’re expecting on your lot – don’t sell or push them on your readers, just announce each product and get everyone excited!

2.  Share your top 10 favorite RV-Q recipes (do one big post or spread them out in several posts)

3.  Get personal, talk about your (and maybe you employees’) camping plans for the summer

4.  Give details on a little known travel route through your state or your favorite top secret place to camp

5.  Research and then share info on the roadside wonders in your state. Think “biggest ball of yarn”, “world’s largest lobster”, “world’s largest sand crane”

6.  Give a list of the top 5 summer RV accessories that you have available in your parts department

7.   Make a list of the best weekend camping destinations in your area

8.  Start a “Don’t you wish you were RVing right now” tweet series and name something you could be doing if you were on an RV trip.

Summer is when RVing and camping are on the mind, so it’s perfect opportunity to write about topics your customers are interested in NOW!  Capture their interest, make a connection, share stories, and become a resource.

Photo credit: engnr_chik

Filed under: Blogging, what to write, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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