"As automotive dealers look for ways to save money amid the economic downturn, social media presents a powerful yet cost-effective tool that should be a part of a diverse overall Internet Marketing strategy," commented Biter.  "When you strip away the geeky technology and the hip Web 2.0 jargon, social media is simply the digital equivalent of the oldest form of advertising - word of mouth.  Sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. have millions of users from virtually every demographic representing enormous viral marketing potential and dealers can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines."

Biter cited statistics that indicate that the vast majority of social media users are fatigued by traditional media advertising and turn to social media outlets in search of unfiltered/unbiased sources of real-time information.  The presentation advised dealers to take a more community-centric approach and learn to “participate” in the conversation on social media websites, rather than alienating users with an unsolicited sales pitch.  By taking the time to participate in the conversation and share useful information with community members, dealers can create opportunities to sell cars – without actually trying to sell cars.  The presentation also highlighted the importance of utilizing social media for customer retention, brand awareness, SEO, and reputation management.

"There are endless opportunities for consumers to vent their frustrations online," stated Biter.  "The last thing your dealership needs is for some random negative comment to appear in the top 10 search results page under your name on Google or Yahoo.  Establishing a positive online presence via your dealership blog and a variety of social sites will generate an abundance of content rich pages that can be heavily weighted by search engines.  This can help you to avoid allowing a single bad customer experience to morph into an online reputation killer that can spiral out of control."

For more information regarding this conference or upcoming events please visit:
www.homenetinc.com

“Consumers who see real payment offers on vehicle listings can quickly determine affordability and commit to a purchase,” stated Rusty Platt, Director of “Drive It Now” Dealer Services. “Leads generated from “Drive It Now” are pre-sold and ready to buy.  We are pleased that HomeNet chose “Drive It Now” as a product of their Inventory Online (IOL) Vehicle Marketing Suite to help dealers generate more quality leads from their websites and online classifieds.”

Dealers can display the “Drive It Now” payment offers on their website(s), online auctions, or online classified listings.  When a potential buyer clicks on the “Drive It Now” button, they can instantly customize, select, and secure finance offers.  Dealers then receive real-time detailed lead information from customers who are ready to buy.  Lease funding sources are also made available to the dealers, enabling them to earn additional back-end reserve profits.

“HomeNet is excited to be working with “Drive It Now” and to offer their next generation lead generation system to our customers,” stated Tim James, HomeNet’s Director of Sales.  “As with all marketing, Internet marketing is about creating emotion.  The “Drive It Now” system not only creates emotions that inspire urgency and mental ownership, it engages the consumer to generate real-time leads and buyers for the dealership.  Factor in that the system can help you hold more gross, offer lease and finance options, and generate higher F & I profits too, this is truly a lead generation system of the future.”

For more information regarding the “Drive It Now” tool, dealers should contact the HomeNet Sales Team at salesteam@homenetinc.com or 877-738-3313.

HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 15,000 dealership locations.

About “Drive It Now”
“Drive It Now” is a service of Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS). ACS is a leading provider of online auto financing and leasing, online vehicle marketing, and software development. Our proprietary technology and automotive experience give ACS a competitive edge in the industry. Visit www.DriveItNow.net for more information.

About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.

“It truly is a privilege to have an opportunity to speak directly to dealers at this important event," commented Biter.  "As the conference title suggests, dealers really are facing tumultuous times right now.  The goal for both Tim and myself is to do more than simply share our unique perspectives and insights on the automotive industry.  We will provide valuable and actionable information that attendees can take home with them and apply to their business, in an effort to maximize the ROI from their Internet Marketing investment."

The last spring conference in Orlando in April drew over 1,000 attendees and featured 60 exhibitors in almost 100 booths spaces. There were over 540 registered dealers, GMs, Internet Sales Managers, e-Commerce Directors and BDC/CRM Managers, and unlike the NADA Convention & Exposition, every one of them was there to learn more about Internet and technology-related issues, both from speakers and from exhibitors.  For more information on the event, please visit www.digitaldealerconference.com.

"There’s no sugar-coating the very serious challenges that are currently facing the automotive industry, as well as nearly every other sector in the global economy.  The credit crisis has led to abysmal vehicle sales figures and the near-term economic forecast does little to evoke confidence in the possibility of a rapid recovery.  Not to mention, it’s more than a little unsettling to watch CEOs from the Big Three US Automakers trek to Washington, tin cup in hand.  But while the challenges may prove insurmountable for some, opportunities for success and even growth will still be available.  For those dealers that choose to face this adversity head-on and adapt their business accordingly, the reward may ultimately include capturing market share from more fear-stricken competition." 

CLICK HERE to read the entire article.

“As the economic crisis continues to further expand the vehicle buying cycle, dealers need to realize that the Internet Marketing status quo just isn’t going to work in this environment,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter.  “Effective online listings will get consumers emotionally-connected with the vehicle, creating the sense of mental-ownership needed to motivate them to make the move from the computer screen to the showroom. Video Online is a convenient, cost-effective tool that makes it easy for dealers to tap into that raw human emotion, delivering an enhanced multimedia experience that can significantly improve the ROI from your online spend.”

Video Online equips dealers with the ability to create stunning video presentations, utilizing vehicle images from their webIOL account.  In addition to the visual component, users can upload a custom voiceover or take advantage of the system’s text-to-speech functionality in order to help further elaborate on the vehicle’s finer details which may otherwise go unnoticed.  Buttons can be generated and placed next to the video, providing users with a direct link to the dealership website or special promotional page.

HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 15,000 dealership locations.

About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.

The interview covered a variety of topics that are vital to the success of dealers in this challenging economic climate.  James noted that while 2009 will most likely prove to be a tough year for the industry, it could also be a year of opportunity for dealers who are willing to accept the fact that it's not 'business as usual'.  According to James, successful dealers must streamline their internal processes and view the Internet as 'marketing' as opposed to 'technology'.

Vee and Miller pressed James for three concrete ideas that will help dealers to thrive in the current economy.  James' response:

1. Become the best media source in your market.  You are in the 'media business' now, so it's your job to drive traffic to your website and satisfy the consumers thirst for on-demand information.
2. Get your inventory on the Web right away!  You are losing money ever day your vehicles sit on the lot without being advertised.
3. Embrace the next generation of marketing, specifically 'mobile marketing'.

CLICK HERE to download a FREE copy of this very informative podcast.

“This convenient tool is designed to make it easier for dealers to provide consumers with the real-time information they have come to expect during the vehicle buying cycle," commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter.  "The faster dealers can get reliable 3rd-party information like a Carfax Vehicle History Report into the hands of prospective customers, the more likely they will be to visit the lot."

HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 15,000 dealership locations.

About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.

The system evaluates pricing for a particular vehicle, comparing it to similar vehicles on a local or national basis.  Advanced features permit users to refine the results even further, based on dealer-defined parameters.  An interactive graph displays the system’s final analysis, clearly outlining where the dealer’s price point ranks in comparison to the competition.  Furthermore, the tool provides trend analysis to help dealers better predict future pricing changes.

"This is very useful new feature and we are pleased to make this available to our IOL Pro dealers,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “In this challenging economic climate, it is imperative for dealers to ensure that their vehicles are both accurately and competitively priced.  We are confident that the pricing analysis feature will become an invaluable tool for our dealers, helping them to better stay in tune with rapidly-changing marketplace trends.”

For more information regarding the pricing analysis tool, dealers should contact the HomeNet Sales Team at salesteam@homenetinc.com or 877-738-3313.

HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 15,000 dealership locations.

About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.

“HomeNet has been serving the online inventory needs of dealers for more than a dozen years and as a result, our paths have crossed with virtually every aspect of the online automotive space,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter.  “While there are many examples of effective vehicle photography on the web, unfortunately, there are still significatly more non-effective examples.  This guide was compiled by experts who not only know their way around a lot, but are also quite knowledgable in both digital photography and Internet Marketing.  This guide presents a great primer for newbies and will provide a valuable reference tool for seasoned Internet Managers and other automotive professionals.”

CLICK HERE to download this free eBook.