Keep the 'social' in social media

How to build your social media presence without scaring away customers

By: Mike Manges

Social media will expose your business’ inadequacies, Barry Reese, president of Tire Company Solutions, warns tire dealers.

Independent tire dealers using social media to promote their business run the risk of losing both existing and potential customers if they push specials, sales and services too hard, according to Barry Reese, president of Tire Company Solutions (TCS), a tire dealership software supplier that has been working with dealers to create effective social media campaigns.

In other words, keep the “social” in social media, he says. “Tire dealers need to drive people into their stores through the content on their dealership’s Web site. But social media is more emotional. It’s based on personal interaction.

“If people follow you on Twitter, if they’re fans of your company’s Facebook page, you want them to get a feel for how they will benefit from associating with your store. You want them to feel like you’re their friend. Don’t hammer them with what you offer. You don’t want to turn them off.”

Reese offers the following suggestions for dealers who are either using social media or want to build a social networking presence:

 1. Get your ducks in a row first. Social media will uncover and even “exploit” inadequacies at your dealership, he says. “If I decide I want to buy a book on Amazon.com, I will look at the reviews first. There may be 60 reviews, including three bad ones, but I’m going to read the bad ones first.

“If you have inefficiencies in your workplace, if you’re not doing things the right way, I would say don’t use social media. I think long-term, (social media) is going to put a barrier between the businesses that take care of people and the businesses (that gouge) people.”

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Related Topics: Barry Reese, Social Media, TCS, Tire Company Solutions

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