We live in a world of indirect, text-based communication. As a result, many of us may feel less confident on the phone or feel that our interpersonal conversational skills are lacking. However, telephone connection is still a critical business tool. It can be a prospect’sfirst impression of you and your company. 

In the opening words of his TED talk, American business magnate Bill Gates declared “Everyone needs a coach.” From professional athletes to CEOs, Bill highlighted the fact that the single common attribute among all high-performing individuals was the fact that they have a coach. Why should sales managers and sales reps be any different?

Would you believe me if I told you that one of themost powerful ways to market your dealership is through automotive text messaging? It’s true! If you want your valuable information to not only be seen, but be seen in a timely manner, then send out a text. An astounding 98% of text messages are opened, where only a mere 20% of emails are read. On average it only takes 90 seconds for a mobile phone user to respond to a text message, creating a higher probability that customers can be reached in real-time.

Communication preferences are as unique and varied as leads themselves. That’s why it’s important to use multiple communication channels as you guide each lead through your sales funnel. However, there tends to be one favored mode of contact across the board: texting. In fact, 90% of people prefer to receive text ads over direct calls or emails.  

In today’s convenience-focused world, it doesn’t get much better than texting. Nearly everyone has a cell phone, I'll bet your smartphone is within arms reach right now. And unlike an email inbox, which is likely filled with dozens of long, unopened emails, text messages are nearly always opened and read. In fact, according to reports from Mobile Marketing Watch, emails have a mere 22% open rate whereas text messages have an off-the-charts open rate of 98%. According to another study, an astounding 90% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of being received.

As you learned last week, Google is one of the most important review platforms on the Internet. Any positive reviews you garner there will have a direct, positive impact on any searcher’s impression of your business. 

Long story short,Google My Business (GMB) Reviews are absolutely necessary for your company’s sales and marketing. You may be wondering how exactly you get started gathering such customer evaluations.

Luckily, connecting your customers’ genuine opinions of your business to your company’s online GMB profile is as simple and easy for you to implement as it's for your customers to complete. Here’s how to begin: 

If I were to ask you where you would go to find information about a company you wish to do business with, what would your reply be? If it were the 1990’s you would probably say the Yellow Pages, the early 2000’s a common answer would most likely be a broad statement such as “the internet.” Today? Chances are your reply would be “I’d Google it.” These days having an online presence is no longer optional, it is absolutely vital to a company’s success.

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, now is the season to express appreciation for ones family, friends, home, health, and various other fortunes of life. Though it is common to count your personal blessings, have you ever considered listing your professional blessings? And more specifically, when was the last time you thanked your sales team, who may likely feel under-appreciated or underutilized? 

What do you think of when you hear the word “closing call?” Are you filled with confidence, peace, and tranquility? Or are your thoughts crowded with anxiety and stress from the various pressures you are feeling? Now that you are in the bottom of the ninth inning with your prospect, you most assuredly want to finish up with a home run and not a strike out.