It was a privilege to be invited by Jeph Maystruck to tape a discussion about digital marketing, social, mobile and some other marketing hot topics. As the guest on the second ever Marketing Revolution podcast, I could have used a “chill pill” in a few places, not to mention a dose of “stop talking, you’ve already made your point”, but overall I had a great time. There’s a few grains of goodness for those who take the time to listen to it, so find a half hour and hunker in. I’ll look back at this in a few years and think fondly of my fumbling and eager beaver answers. Right now I don’t like the sound of my voice and wish I would have slowed it down a few BPM’s!

We got together at Browns Social House – Regina SK – always a hot spot out here in the North end. The staff was really chill about letting us tape the podcast, and after a few pints of Social Lager, I was a little looser then I should have been! I give Brown’s props for being a deadly place to grab a beer or a bite!

I love working for a Car Dealer group and I get fired up when someone has the time to listen to what I think. To think that my experience or efforts might have a small trickle down to anyone is rewarding on it’s own. That sounds egotistical, so rest assured I love to listen… and I’ll throw you a freebie, it’s one of my favorite life lessons:

Are you listening or just waiting to talk?

I think Jeph is onto something great with his podcast, and I’m looking forward to listening to future podcasts! I recommend you have a listen. Get over to his site and to grab the RSS right meow!

There’s an incredible opportunity for anyone who resists making irrational choices. But, that’s sort of bullshit, everyone knows that making an irrational choice is stupid, you just don’t know when your doing it, or can’t control it. Even if you did know, executing intelligently through your emotions, habits and bias is awfully tough.

Here are three things people often don’t see, maybe it can help you spot the trend within yourself.

3 Rational Points

1. Everyone generalizes wildly from his/her own experience.
2. Everyone is overly influenced by recent performance.
3. Everyone is biased with what they see and what they think they see.

1 – Your experience differs WILDLY from mine. People always think that their experience is typical when it really isn’t. By definition you’re bound to have an average experience, but that doesn’t mean that your experience follows a similar pattern as anyone else, even though the outcome is similar, or average.

2 – What an entity has done lately is not necessarily what they will do next, or ever again. There are the flash in the pan’s and there are the rocks, consistent as ever. Learn to spot the difference. How? Learn the questions to ask and what data to seek so you can differentiate between the two.

3 – The human mind play’s tricks on itself, often times seeing what it wants, so it can complete an unfinished story (the one YOU WANT to tell yourself). Every trick your mind plays is a financial opportunity for someone who can see through the illusion to the reality. Facts become subjective to fit the picture you want them to paint, this is dangerous!

Ok, that’s swell – but what the hell have I given that’s useful? Not a whole lot, just a big picture idea. The benefits of rationality, in irrational situations can be game changing. You require specific data for each instance so I can’t really break it down other then to say, look to the past, find the success and map out what made a winner, then see if you can recreate the scenario.

If knowledge is a missing part of the equation, read books.

Your going to fail, but I guarantee there are HUGE wins to be had, regardless of the vertical. Until you find the win, and between wins,  work your ass off and put in more effort to being better then those around you. Even if you make stupid, irrational mistakes you’ll recover and overcome faster than anyone else.

How can you apply these three big picture principles? Help me take this big picture, generalized idea further by leaving your opinions below!

Last year I wanted to do something similar but chickened out of making the commitment and just went along reading a book or two per month. Here’s what got me started on this kick – How to read a book a week in 2010. (2011 or 2012 too!) So, 52 books in 2012 is #1.

When I made the switch from Blackberry to iPhone I stumbled onto the Goodreads app. The site is good and they have a yearly goal badge which I’m going to use to keep accountable. The site allows you to track your reading and browse books then add them to a “To Read” shelf. I’ve been looking for a good way to track my reading and have been happy with Goodreads, so far.

The second Resolution I have for 2012 is to smile more. Yup, pretty soft, tough to quantify, and hard to plan but it’s #2.

My third resolution is to work out at least 2X per week. That’s not a strong fitness plan and it’s not well detailed but I know I can get out at least twice a week to do some cardio and a little weight training. In the past I’ve never set any hard goals or made it a resolution to get in shape or lose weight, and I’m hesitant to do so, because it’s so easy to lose the will to do it, but it’s time to make it happen. I feel the need to put together a stronger plan, but this is my resolution #3 for 2012.

Somewhat unrelated but complex communication is driven by the part of the iceberg you don't learn in school.

As I grew up a little, I started to recognize this shortfall but would still make the same mistakes, in a patient, more reserved way by letting the other side state their case, biding my time, waiting to strike, then ripping in. Does this sound familiar? I think it happens to everyone, and often times it’s not even intended.

I like to read a fair amount and recently I read a book, which I had very little expectations for. I picked it up at Chapters in Regina, where it was sitting under the Chapters MBA section (which is a funny story because it doesn’t look to be part of the Indigo MBA program). It’s called Crucial Conversations – Tools For Talking When Stakes Are High. Now that my title has “Communications” in it, I figure I better figure out how do it, without the bouts of anger and fits that come with emotionally charged conversations! (or clamming up instead of dealing head on)

With little for expectations, I came out the other side with wide eyes.  I had more then a few AH-HA moments while reading it and it felt like it gave me the vocabulary to talk to myself through some situations and the tools to be much more considerate. I’m not the type to become a fan boy overnight or pump tires where they don’t need to be but I would recommend this book in a heart beat. The only caveat I’d give is that, if you’re not in a frame of mind where you know for a fact you can be a much much stronger communicator, don’t waste your time.

Ask the simple question to try and see the persons green side instead!

One of my big take away’s, and there are many from the book, is that instead of becoming either violent or clamming up, you need to become curious. To communicate instead of blowing a gasket or resenting the other side, it’s a mighty help to step back and ask – “Why would a reasonable, rational, and decent person act this way”. To think of the other side as reasonable, rational and decent does wonders. Sometimes people can be total, and absolute dbags, like this guy… but often times I’ve found myself charging ahead in an argument or conversation with the same vigor as I would with a complete adversary, when the person on the other side is family, my wife, my co worker or a friend.

I think I might be wired with one level of fight, and that’s peddle to the mat! When you take a second and consider the person on the other side as reasonable, rational, and decent, then ask why that person would act this way, it helped me step back, asses then communicate instead of blowing a gasket, and rewired the fight I have with the other side to be (or come close too) a dialogue.

Maybe you can too!?

I'm not a guy who dogears books but I couldn't help myself with this book!

The way I see it, an advertising agency wants to come in and help hit a goal short term, which will be tied directly to their compensation or is tied to future benefits of them working with you and making more money off of your inability to tell your story.

In today’s day and age, traditional media is waning in both reach and effectiveness (almost one in the same). If you’re an expert, if you’re passionate and if you have the balls to get up and be somebody, do it. If not – hire an agency to do it for you. They can help with creativity, building a plan of attack, drilling you for something to talk about and will hold your hand as long as you keep shelling out the cash. The problem I see is that agencies tie their compensation to services, and the road most traveled is traditional media. How can an agency use genuine personality or passion to create content on the web that won’t send bullshit radars into the red zone?

There is an unbelievable amount of opportunity in the world, and if your in business there’s so many FREE tools and smart things you can do online that will drive your business – if you can only open up your eyes, woman/man up and put the work in, you’ll shit your pants at how clear the opportunity can become.

I see the world clearer today then I could have ever imagined and I’m not doing the best job I can, my 2012 will be full of smart plays and fun content, and you can bet your ass I won’t be using an agency to push any of it.

“Mitch squirmed like a little fish out of water and backed out of his word,”

“…this is why car salesmen are known as the sleaziest people in the world.”

“…yeah, keep puff’n that magic dragon buddy. ”

“You people don’t have a clue how to be ethical and make a sale.”

“in this economy….you continue to play games and do business in such an unethical manner, real smart.

What made this worse, he distributed to every email address on our staff page along with who knows how many other recipients.

I understand I work in the car business and it has a reputation to overcome but man, I’ve never got an email like this! When you get an email like this I thought it was prudent to step back and try to see it from the other persons eyes. As I did that I reflected on what kind of “deal” I was giving him. I was angry because we where in the top 5 in ALL OF CANADA when it came to price, and of those 5 ours had the lowest KM’s. I was thinking to myself, this car is in perfect condition, it’s not dirty in any way and is a smoking deal. It dawned on me that it doesn’t matter. I lost because I let him get to this point and didn’t do enough at the start to make him believe in the credibility of our dealership and give him enough content to allow him and I to trust each other before things went awfully sideways.

The price of a purchase and the value you think your delivering has no value if the perception from the other side is one of getting bent over. This is obviously an example from the extreme end of the spectrum but I think it’s important not to simply dismiss crack pots and wing nuts with the wave of a hand and take the time to look for a take away.

I’ve decided we need to make sure that our stores have enough video content about us that we can easily share via an email that will set the stage before we get to a point of negotiation  when emotions run high. Would this have helped in this situation – no chance, some people are more committed to finding the bad, then I have had time to prepare to show them the good.

Hunt your prey until they collapse. This is the one true way.

When you start on this quest you will be hungry and your opponents will be far. You’ll see them in the distance but they will seem unstoppable. Don’t believe it.

They will get comfortable and they will rest, but you will keep running. So you will get closer.

The sun may set and leave you in the dark. The temperature might rise until your blood boils. Because your prey is fat from its spoils and conquests, you will get closer still.

By the time you are noticed, it will be too late. You will be on him.

It is in the nature of the king to get lazy and fat. He feels unstoppable and is guarded on all sides. But one day you will get close enough.

The chase will be long. You’ll have to evade sleep, capture, and the lullaby of comfort.

If you can do this, one day you too can be king.

Hopefully, by then, you’ll have learned to watch your back.

In my line of work this has served me well and in a few ways my team has become the Lion. I’m not being cocky when I say that either, it’s a business where it doesn’t take much to be the lion so it’s not a significant achievement. The note that resonated through me was the push, desire and tenacity it takes to work to the top.

As we push into 2011 I want to begin with a renewed focus. Filter down to 2 or 3 main goals for the year and you can bet “Never Give Up” will be one of those main goals as I harden my resolve to be the best in the automotive industry.

Roger Federer is one of those “salt of the earth” kind of guys that I’ve always had a ton of respect for. Even though I don’t watch much tennis, my wife enjoys watching whenever there’s a major tournament. (So right now the TV is being dominated by the US Open) I like to play the odd, awkward game of tennis and I’ve always seen Federer as insanely dedicated and humble. Seeing him show off a little is a treat!

What do you think of this incredible video?

I don’t know much about how to accomplish this in terms of technical needs. I feel that a post on the Dealer Refresh forums might help, I’m also confident the proponent of the idea would have some pretty exact knowledge on how to execute. Part of what I’d like to accomplish, as a fringe benefit, is to set up Google Goals and really try to use our tracking thus far to put some dollar figures on our traffic.

We track as much as we can for our internet leads as far appointments and sales and is essential that we dial in to see where our best traffic is coming from. Best to me doesn’t mean most visitors it means most leads. This would be exceedingly helpful for banner ad campaigns, traditional marketing that drives people to a site via a unique redirect and tons of other sources we use to drive traffic that costs either time or money.

The Capital Automotive Group, who I work with, recently switched our web providers from Dealer.com to DealerOn and thus far have been pleasantly surprised at the results but neither platform can supply how a converted visitor got landed on the website. Dealer.com recently put something in place that shouldn’t be confused with incoming source. DDC tracks what the prospect did during their visit on the site and provides the click path to submitting a lead, which is a step up on DealerOn but neither let the incoming traffic source out of the box.

I know it’s possible to get this in place, hell when you’re shopping for a provider their all keen to tell you “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE” but what are the steps that we need to be take to get there. I want to work with DealerOn to make this happen but it sounds like this should be a movement across the industry.

I’m a little pessimistic about getting DealerOn to change. It seems to me that web providers are constantly apt to sign on as many dealers as fast as possible, like a game of hungry hungry hippo, slapping at the market as fast as they can and shitting out marbles that are all fairly similar so that they can fit through the pipes quickly. It because of the mass production and desired speed to get the round glass hippo dung (yes dealer sites can be analogous to hippo shit) through the pipes that I think it will be hard to crack the process of a providers setup and support system. Pessimism aside, it’s a very valuable idea that shouldn’t be all that hard. After hearing him voice the concern, I have a feeling Brian Pasch knows exactly what it would take…

*****UPDATE*****

I had a webinar with DealerOn on Thurs Aug 19th and they have a report that tracks exactly this and they’ve also been making steps towards including a subset of this data within Google Analytics for their dealers but are running into a few walls. Regardless, it looks as though both my web providers of the past month are able to do exactly what I ranted about. Ignorance is bliss baby!

As you likely know if you’ve taken the time to visit my site, I’m in the car business and work my ass off trying to do everything I can to help the dealerships I work for. A secondary goal I’m always working towards is to establish a perception that doing business at a dealership can be a fun and isn’t shrouded in lies or half truths. It’s a challenge to dispel all the old school perceptions that car salesmen have pinky rings and are always smoking cigars. I’m extremely excited to work with PCG and to use this automotive seo study to add intensity to my internet broadcast signals.

For what it’s worth, I have a very fundamental view of my job purpose that looks like a 3 stage cycle.

a) Improve People/Processes -> b) Increase Site Conversion -> c) Increase Traffic ->
(back to a)

This opportunity that PCG is offering is a monster for increasing traffic! It’s like when the bad guys from TMNT 2 – Secret of The Ooze get all jacked on the oozy monster steroids turning them into Tokka and Rahzar.

I’m super jacked up for the opportunity and am looking forward to driving my knowledge a step forward. One of the biggest opportunities I see is with the microsites and using PCG’s expertise to CRUSH IT! They have some dominating ideas and i’m going to juice it for everything I can and in good Canadian fashion send them a case of beer as a Thank-You after it’s all over.