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[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]
Automotive Social Media Reputation Management
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Google Webinar On Wildfire System
[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]
Science of Color in Automotive Marketing
WHY IS FACEBOOK BLUE? THE SCIENCE BEHIND COLORS IN MARKETING
TURNS OUT, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS TWEAKING THE COLOR OF A BUTTON CHANGES USER BEHAVIOR OR ENDEARS PEOPLE TO YOUR PRODUCT. BUFFER'S LEO WIDRICH EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF COLOR IN WEBSITE AND BRAND DESIGN.
Why is Facebook blue? According to The New Yorker, the reason is simple. It's because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green color blind; blue is the color Mark can see the best.
Not highly scientific, right? That may not be the case for Facebook, but there are some amazing examples of how colors actually affect our purchasing decisions. After all, sight is the strongest developed sense in most human beings. It's only natural that 90% of an assessment for trying out a product is made by color alone.
So how do colors really affect us, and what is the science of colors in marketing, really? As we strive to make improvements to our product at Buffer, studying this phenomenon is key. Let's dig into some of the latest, most interesting research on it.
First: Can you recognize the online brands just based on color?
Before we dive into the research, here are some awesome experiments that show you how powerful color alone really is. Based on just the colors of the buttons, can you guess which company belongs to each of them?
Example 1 (easy):
Example 2 (easy):
Example 3 (medium):
Example 4 (hard):
These awesome examples from YouTube designer Marc Hemeon, I think, show the real power of color more than any study could.
How many were you able to guess? (All the answers are at the bottom of this post!)
Which colors trigger which feeling for us?
Being completely conscious about what color triggers us to think in which way isn't always obvious. The Logo Company has come up with an amazing breakdown that shows which colors are best for which companies and why. Here are 4 great examples:
Black:
Green:
Blue:
Clearly, every one of these companies is seeking to trigger a very specific emotion:
When we feel compelled to buy something, color can play a major role. Analytics company KISSmetrics created an amazing infographic on the science of how colors affect our purchases.
Green stands out to me as the most relaxing color we can use to make buying easier. We didn't intentionally choose this as the main color for Buffer--although it seems to have worked very well so far.
At second look, I also realized how frequently black is used for luxury products. Here is the full infographic:
How to improve your marketing with better use of colors:
This all might be fairly entertaining, but what are some actual decisions we can apply today to our website or app? The answer comes yet again from some great research done by the good folks over at KISSmetrics.
If you are building an app that mainly targets women, KISSmetrics suggests that women love blue, purple, and green, and dislike orange, brown, and gray.
In case your app is strictly targeting men, the rules of the game are slightly different. Men love blue, green, and black, but can do without brown, orange, and purple.
In another experiment, Performable (now HubSpot) wanted to find out whethersimply changing the color of a button would make a difference in conversion rates.
They started out by trying to guess the outcome of a simple choice between two colors (green and red) and trying to guess what would happen.
"Green connotes ideas like "natural" and "environment," and given its wide use in traffic lights, suggests the idea of "go" or forward movement. The color red, on the other hand, is often thought to communicate excitement, passion, blood, and warning. It is also used as the color for stopping at traffic lights. Red is also known to be eye-catching."
So, clearly an A/B test between green and red would result in green, the more friendly color. At least that was their guess. Here is what their experiment looked like:
So how did that experiment turn out? The answer was surprising: The red button outperformed the green button by 21%.
What's most important to consider is that nothing else was changed at all: 21% more people clicked on the red button than on the green button. Everything else on the pages was the same, so it was only the button color that made this difference.
This definitely made me wonder: If we were to read all the research before this experiment and ask every researcher which version they would guess would perform better, I'm sure green would be the answer in nearly all cases. Not so much.
At my company, we've also conducted dozens of experiments to improve our conversion rates using changes of colors. While the results weren't as clear, we still saw a huge change. One hypothesis is that for a social media sharing tool, there is less of a barrier to signup, which makes the differences less significant.
Despite all the studies, generalizations are extremely hard to make. Whatever change you make, treat it first as a hypothesis, and see if the actual experiment supports your ideas. Personally, I'm always very prone to go with opinion based on research I've come across. Yet, data always beats opinion, no matter what.
Quick last fact: Why are hyperlinks blue?
This is something that always interested me and is actually a fun story. In short, it's offers the highest contrast between the colors used on early websites.
Here is the full explanation: "Tim Berners-Lee, the main inventor of the web, is believed to be the man who first made hyperlinks blue. Mosaic, a very early web browser, displayed webpages with a (ugly) gray background and black text. The darkest color available at the time that was not the same as the black text was that blue color. Therefore, to make links stand apart from plain text, but still be readable, the color blue was selected."
I think it's fascinating that tweaking something as small as the color can completely change an outcome. What have been your findings in terms of colors and marketing? Tell me about it in the comments.
Solution to the riddle: Example 1: Facebook, Example 2: Google, Example 3: Flickr, Example 4: LinkedIn
Reprinted with permission from Buffer.
[Image: Flickr user Darrel Birkett]
Why is Facebook blue? According to The New Yorker, the reason is simple. It's because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green color blind; blue is the color Mark can see the best.
Not highly scientific, right? That may not be the case for Facebook, but there are some amazing examples of how colors actually affect our purchasing decisions. After all, sight is the strongest developed sense in most human beings. It's only natural that 90% of an assessment for trying out a product is made by color alone.
So how do colors really affect us, and what is the science of colors in marketing, really? As we strive to make improvements to our product at Buffer, studying this phenomenon is key. Let's dig into some of the latest, most interesting research on it.
First: Can you recognize the online brands just based on color?
Before we dive into the research, here are some awesome experiments that show you how powerful color alone really is. Based on just the colors of the buttons, can you guess which company belongs to each of them?
Example 1 (easy):
Example 2 (easy):
Example 3 (medium):
Example 4 (hard):
These awesome examples from YouTube designer Marc Hemeon, I think, show the real power of color more than any study could.
How many were you able to guess? (All the answers are at the bottom of this post!)
Which colors trigger which feeling for us?
Being completely conscious about what color triggers us to think in which way isn't always obvious. The Logo Company has come up with an amazing breakdown that shows which colors are best for which companies and why. Here are 4 great examples:
Black:
Green:
Blue:
Clearly, every one of these companies is seeking to trigger a very specific emotion:
When we feel compelled to buy something, color can play a major role. Analytics company KISSmetrics created an amazing infographic on the science of how colors affect our purchases.
Green stands out to me as the most relaxing color we can use to make buying easier. We didn't intentionally choose this as the main color for Buffer--although it seems to have worked very well so far.
At second look, I also realized how frequently black is used for luxury products. Here is the full infographic:
How to improve your marketing with better use of colors:
This all might be fairly entertaining, but what are some actual decisions we can apply today to our website or app? The answer comes yet again from some great research done by the good folks over at KISSmetrics.
If you are building an app that mainly targets women, KISSmetrics suggests that women love blue, purple, and green, and dislike orange, brown, and gray.
In case your app is strictly targeting men, the rules of the game are slightly different. Men love blue, green, and black, but can do without brown, orange, and purple.
In another experiment, Performable (now HubSpot) wanted to find out whethersimply changing the color of a button would make a difference in conversion rates.
They started out by trying to guess the outcome of a simple choice between two colors (green and red) and trying to guess what would happen.
"Green connotes ideas like "natural" and "environment," and given its wide use in traffic lights, suggests the idea of "go" or forward movement. The color red, on the other hand, is often thought to communicate excitement, passion, blood, and warning. It is also used as the color for stopping at traffic lights. Red is also known to be eye-catching."
So, clearly an A/B test between green and red would result in green, the more friendly color. At least that was their guess. Here is what their experiment looked like:
So how did that experiment turn out? The answer was surprising: The red button outperformed the green button by 21%.
What's most important to consider is that nothing else was changed at all: 21% more people clicked on the red button than on the green button. Everything else on the pages was the same, so it was only the button color that made this difference.
This definitely made me wonder: If we were to read all the research before this experiment and ask every researcher which version they would guess would perform better, I'm sure green would be the answer in nearly all cases. Not so much.
At my company, we've also conducted dozens of experiments to improve our conversion rates using changes of colors. While the results weren't as clear, we still saw a huge change. One hypothesis is that for a social media sharing tool, there is less of a barrier to signup, which makes the differences less significant.
Despite all the studies, generalizations are extremely hard to make. Whatever change you make, treat it first as a hypothesis, and see if the actual experiment supports your ideas. Personally, I'm always very prone to go with opinion based on research I've come across. Yet, data always beats opinion, no matter what.
Quick last fact: Why are hyperlinks blue?
This is something that always interested me and is actually a fun story. In short, it's offers the highest contrast between the colors used on early websites.
Here is the full explanation: "Tim Berners-Lee, the main inventor of the web, is believed to be the man who first made hyperlinks blue. Mosaic, a very early web browser, displayed webpages with a (ugly) gray background and black text. The darkest color available at the time that was not the same as the black text was that blue color. Therefore, to make links stand apart from plain text, but still be readable, the color blue was selected."
I think it's fascinating that tweaking something as small as the color can completely change an outcome. What have been your findings in terms of colors and marketing? Tell me about it in the comments.
Solution to the riddle: Example 1: Facebook, Example 2: Google, Example 3: Flickr, Example 4: LinkedIn
Reprinted with permission from Buffer.
[Image: Flickr user Darrel Birkett]
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Facebook: Kevin Allen's Top 10 Etiquette Essentials
The 10 Essentials of Facebook Etiquette
Some brands have mastered the art of Facebook marketing; others, not so much. As with any social media platform, there are rules by which we should abide.
Over the last few weeks, we've offered etiquette advice for LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest. It's Facebook's turn.
On this platform, there's one protocol for brands and another for individuals. The tips below land somewhere in between and apply to both groups:
1. Stop asking people to"like" your updates. A few years ago, it was common to see posts that started with "Like this post if..." Sadly, it's still common. Create remarkable content. and people will like it--and"like" it.
If you think about it, a"like" is an empty action--the simplest form of engagement. Asking for people to like your status is cheap and adds no value to your fans' news feeds.
2. Don't overpost. Quite simply, if you clog up news feeds, people are going to hide, unsubscribe, and even"unlike" your brand's page.
The same goes for your personal page. Obviously, we're all free to give our friends as many updates about our lives as we want, but you should beware of the consequences.
3. Keep those hashtags to a minimum. We're not exactly sure how hashtags are affecting brand engagement on Facebook, given that they were introduced just this summer. But the same advice we gave for Twitter holds true for Facebook: Make sure your hashtags are relevant and not excessive.
4. When tragedy strikes, just shut up. We've dedicated entire posts to this, but there's no reason brands should post when national/global tragedy strikes. Sending"thoughts and prayers" to the people in the affected area also feels a little thin--garnering engagement that way smacks of desperation. A better technique would be to offer your audience a way to help in the form of donations, etc.
5. Don't be patronizing. Condescending Corporate Brand Page has become my favorite destination on Facebook. It offers so many examples of what not to do. It's also clear by looking at all the posts they call out that we seem to be running out of new ideas on how to engage on Facebook.
6. There's a fine line between real-time marketing and"brandjacking." For brand pages, Oreo's foray into real-time marketing during the Super Bowl power outage was great--but it was also a bit destructive overall. It inspired a ton of imitators, and their attempts at real-time marketing aren't always relevant; they can be downright spammy. Not sure what we're talking about? Check out this story about real-time marketing during the Oscars.
7. Keep it positive. This one goes for the personal and the brand side. As much as you want to rant on your page, consider your audience and whether they're really interested in hearing you.
Ask yourself: Are we sharing this content because it serves us or our audience?
8. No one wants to visit your brand's mobile unfriendly Facebook tab. No one.
9. When there's a PR issue on your page, the worst thing to do is stay silent. So often, brands will shut down all Facebook communication when they're facing any kind of backlash. You're only going to exacerbate the problem by staying silent. Respond, even if it's just along these lines:"We hear you. We're working on it."
10. Personalize your reply to people who take the time to contact you. Whether it's a direct message or a comment, the response should never be rote. Seldom does a"Thanks!" suffice. Every person who comments on your page represents an opportunity for a personal connection. Make that connection special, and you've got a fan for life.
Source: http://m.entrepreneur.com/article/227453
Want to learn more? Be sure to register for AutoCon 2013 using their online registration at http://AutoCon2013.com and enter the Promotional Code ADM13 to trigger an automatic discount of $200 per registration few.
[Share Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]
Saturday, July 13, 2013
AutoCon 2013 to Feature Eric Nichols Presntation
AutoCon 2013 attendees will learn how to create successful BDC practices that support the sales team when Eric Nichols presents at the automotive conference.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eric Nichols
PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 26, 2013 -EATONTOWN, N.J. -- EATONTOWN, NJ– Attendees of the popular automotive conference, AutoCon 2013, will learn valuable tips to create more successful BDC practices during Eric Nichols' workshop. AutoCon 2013 is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas September 4-6 at the beautiful Aria Resort and Casino. Eric's workshop, 'Given The Opportunity'
· How to organize a BDC staff schedule to provide phone coverage during peak hours.
· Creating an action plan to gain management acceptance of BDC process that supports the sales team.
· Establishing an integrated lease retention process in the BDC.
· Establishing what a BDC is responsible for and how to gauge if they are successful.
· Putting an effective service / sales drive into effect
Apple Honda credits Eric for taking their BDC from its lackluster infant stage and molding it into an award winning revenue generator. Apple Honda's BDC handles all incoming and outgoing calls, data mining, sales/service retention, and customer follow-up. Similarly, Eric has created a brand new take on lease retention that their BDC is responsible for.
Over the past 2 years, Eric has been recognized in the Internet sales community as an innovator and has been awarded a number of different honors. He received two scholarships that allowed him to attend two major automotive conferences (AutoCon 2012 & DMSC 2013). His accolades include:
· AutomotiveInternetSales.com Dealership of the Month – July 2012
· Dealersocket'
· Numerous vendor write-ups on common dealership practices
In addition to Eric's workshop, AutoCon 2013 attendees will have the opportunity to hear from more than a dozen other elite industry professionals on a wide range of topics.
AutoCon is an extension of the widely popular Automotive Digital Marketing Community (ADM) created by Ralph Paglia and the industry's largest automotive social networking site, DealerElite.com, created by Chris Saraceno and Mike Myers. During the conference, these communities, which boast thousands of members, will move their online conversations, education and discussions to an educational conference format.
AutoCon 2013 will offer an unprecedented quality of speakers, workshops, and exhibition space. AutoCon was the first automotive conference to offer complimentary admission for dealer principals in 2012 and they continue to do so in 2013.
AutoCon 2013 is being produced by First Class Educators and Automotive Media Partners, LLC.
First Class Educators (FCE) is a leading event planning company whose events have earned the highest the highest dealer and supplier ratings in the automotive industry.
For more information or to register for the conference, ease visit:
For more information or to register for the conference, ease visit:
http://AutoCon2013.com
Media Contacts:
Carrie Hemphill
Managing Director
First Class Educators
732.734.6993
carrie@firstclasseducators.com
Media Contacts:
Carrie Hemphill
Managing Director
First Class Educators
732.734.6993
carrie@firstclasseducators.com
Ralph Paglia
President
Automotive Media Partners, LLC
505.301.6369
[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]
Ten AutoCon Full Ride Scholarships Available Via TrueCar Sponsorship
AutoCon 2013 Announces a Special Program Sponsored by TrueCar to Award Ten "Full Ride Scholarships" for Dealership Managers to Attend AutoCon 2013*
Automotive Media Partners, LLC is proud to announce the creation of a "Full Ride Scholarship*" program sponsored by TrueCar of Santa Monica, California. TrueCar’s pioneering sponsorship of this program provides the funds to cover the costs of transportation to and from Las Vegas, lodging at the Aria Resort and full AutoCon conference registration.
One of the most surprising aspects of TrueCar’s sponsorship is that the company has funded ten (10) AutoCon "Full Ride Scholarships*". Ten automotive professionals will receive the educational, networking, inspiration and innovation benefits from attending the 2013 AutoConnections Conference and Exposition at no out of pocket expense for travel, meals during the event or conference fees to themselves or their dealerships.
The TrueCar AutoCon Scholarship Program is further evidence of the remarkable transformation that has taken place at TrueCar since the beginning of 2012. After receiving a remarkable level of criticism within the auto industry during the second half of 2011, TrueCar has evolved and revised their automotive purchasing programs for consumers and affiliated corporations to be far more dealer friendly. TrueCar’s objectives supported by these changes have included raising dealer profit margins to levels that provide more room for dealers to cover facility costs and the staffing levels needed to properly service new vehicle buyers sent to them by TrueCar.
TrueCar understands and recognizes the need for ongoing training and thought leadership within the ranks of the retail automotive industry. Their management team has decided that one of the best ways to demonstrate this commitment to betterment of the industry is to commit the funds necessary to support independent dealer focused educational events such as AutoCon 2013.
TrueCar executives Bernie Brenner and Mike Timmons approached the founders of the Automotive Digital Marketing and dealerElite professional communities, Ralph Paglia, Chris Saraceno and Mike Myers because these online networks have served as “Ground Zero” for some of the industry’s harshest criticism of TrueCar in the recent past. Surprising for a company as large as TrueCar is, their management team has reviewed the criticism published by members of the ADM and DealerELITE networks and taken corrective actions, changed their business models and worked with State dealer associations to create 
vehicle purchase programs that make sense for participating dealers.
How will the TrueCar AutoCon Scholarships be Awarded?
TrueCar has asked that the AutoConnections Conference Management Team take full control and responsibility for ensuring that the 10 Full Ride Scholarships be awarded based on merit and need. Criteria will include a wide geographic representation by selecting automotive professionals from every region in North America. Another consideration will be to award scholarships to professionals who represent a diverse range of vehicle brands and positions within the dealerships they serve.
Written TrueCar Scholarship Application
The application process will be a simple online application that includes all the expected contact information, a description of the applicant’s role in the dealership where they work and space for them to describe in their own words why they should be awarded a TrueCar AutoCon Scholarship to attend the AutoConnections Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas from September 4th to the 6th.
Video TrueCar Scholarship Application
If you are better at explaining your reasons why you should be selected for a scholarship in a verbal manner, the AutoCon 2013 TrueCar scholarship committee will also be pleased to accept your proposal in a video format. Simply explain why you should be selected in a YouTube video that is either uploaded or embedded to eitherAutomotiveDigitalMarketing.com or dealerELITE.net . Please be sure to include the link to that video in your scholarship application where you write out your explanation of why YOU should be selected to receive a "Full Ride Scholarship".
The AutoCon Scholarship Selection Committee is comprised of Ralph Paglia, Chris Saraceno, Mike Myers, Carrie Hemphill and Brian Pasch. As applicants are being considered they will be contacted by a committee member and interviewed via phone and email. Final selections will be made by committee vote and the awardees notified by email and phone.
AutoCon 2013 Scholarship Selection Committe
§ Ralph Paglia
§ Chris Saraceno
§ Mike Myers
§ Carrie Hemphill
§ Brian Pasch
Applications for TrueCar AutoCon Scholarships will be accepted starting Monday July 1, 2013 and award selections will begin Monday August 5, 2013.
With 10 TrueCar AutoCon Scholarships being awarded, the odds of being selected are probably better than any other similar program in the auto industry… So, do not hesitate to apply and encourage other automotive professionals to do so! All of us who are stakeholders in the AutoCon event are thrilled with the investment being made by TrueCar to support what we believe is the best event in the auto industry. The TrueCar sponsorship of AutoCon 2013 and the Full Ride Scholarship Program is appreciated and respected.
In the past, TrueCar was a company that received an enormous amount of criticism, much of which has been emotionally charged and at times, crossed the boundaries of decency and professional behavior. Many other companies faced with similar criticism and public ridicule would have released a barrage of legal actions to defend themselves. TrueCar has consistently taken the high road and responded to their critics with program changes and by sending their senior executives to major auto industry events and meetings.
The TrueCar sponsorship of AutoCon is further proof that this company is led by professionals who want to be valuable contributors to the overall success of the auto industry.
On behalf of the AutoCon team and the 10 auto industry professionals who will receive the benefit of these scholarship awards, a sincere thank you to TrueCar is extended.
Apply for a TrueCar AutoCon Scholarship online at: http://AutoCon2013.com
*PLEASE NOTE: "Full Ride Scholarship" is the brand name for this category of award and is owned by Automotive Media Partners, LLC. All "Full Ride Scholarships" associated with an AMP promoted event with include a travel stipend that reimburses the scholarship recipient for airfare expense submitted up to a maximum dollar amount. Recipients will also receive lodging for the nights of the conference itself. Any room charges authorized by the scholarship recipient, or incidental expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship recipient. Also included are the conference fees for registering and attending the event, which will usually include scheduled breakfasts and lunches that all event participants receive. It is important for scholarship recipients to understand that ANY expenses outside of airfare to and from the event, hotel lodging and conference registration fees are NOT INCLUDED in our version of a "Full Ride Scholarship". Furthermore, we strongly advise all scholarship recipients to travel with a valid major credit card and two forms of government issued ID. Adequate cash should be brought by scholarship recipients to cover meals outside of those scheduled on the conference agenda, local transportation and miscellaneous expenses... After all, you will be in Las Vegas and "Cash-In-Fist" is strongly advised!
§ Join ADM Professional Community: http://AutomotiveDigitalMarketing.com
§ Join the DealerELITE network: http://www.dealerELITE.net
A Screen Capture of the TrueCar AutoCon 2013 "Full Ride Scholarship" Application is shown below... Click on the image to open up the actual form in a new browser window:
Ralph Paglia | President
Automotive Media Partners, LLC
http://LinkedIn.com/in/RPaglia
http://Twitter.com/RalphPaglia
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