A MILLENNIAL WHO GIVES A F*CK: A Personal Tale of a Modern Marketer

by Lindsay Kwaselow

I’m 28 years old, at the dead center of the Millennial generation. Due to the fact that the Millennial population in America has officially surpassed Baby Boomers (as of April 2016), I feel my opinion is of growing importance to my fellow marketers. So I’m going to take this opportunity to share my story of how and why I ended up here. I will walk you through the good the bad and the unfortunate of how I ended up specializing in brand behavior. You will learn where and when I discovered my indestructible love and respect for words and creating connections. This is the true story of what led me to where I am today, overseeing the creative and content departments of Digital Rain Inc.

Photo courtesy of TurboFuture

When I was in elementary school, computers were still very new. They were big and clunky and no one had heard of this futuristic beast known as the Internet. I remember the old Macintosh in my parent’s basement - the ones that looked like this with the rainbow Apple logo. 

A few years later, I remember the day we got AOL. I’ll never forget the sound of dial-up Internet. Click here if you’d like a reminder. Can you believe people used to be patient enough to listen to that sh*t? That would NEVER fly in today’s world of A.D.D.-riddled adults with the patience of a two-year-old (myself included). I remember the excitement I felt given this new outlet of opportunity, fun, and games the Internet brought with it.

When I was in school, books were still a thing. Submitting assignments still required actual paper. I remember the day I decided marketing was my true calling. I remember the ongoing arguments with my mother about why I didn’t want to go into the health field. “That’s where the jobs are! That’s where you can actually make money!” she would say. But my heart was already set on a much different agenda.

I found the line between print ads and fine art to be quite blurry as a teenager. I used to take a visually intriguing ad from the latest issue of Cosmo and turn it into a painting because…why not? To prove it, here’s an example of my work from 2003, when I was 15. (I'm proud to say my skills have both improved and evolved with age). 

By the time I got to college, I realized I was very good at three things. This is a huge turning point in my story because this is when I recognized my strengths. One was writing, so naturally, I started selling my services to friends who sucked at it for $25 a page. I quickly learned I could personify the “voices” and values of others by writing from their perspective. Give me a topic, and between Google and me, BOOM you had an expert of all subjects writing your college essay. I could also paint, and I’d sell a painting from time to time. I was a HUSTLER in college! The third thing I learned about myself was that I was Switzerland. I could get along with ANYONE…and I did! So yes, words, ads, design, communication, people skills…all figurative arrows pointing directly to a career in one thing and one thing only: MARKETING.

Fast-forward to my senior year of college. Unfortunately for me, that came during America’s Great Recession - not ideal timing to enter a job market that was attempting to recover from the worst economic downfall since The Great Depression. It was also a time of widespread societal transition. All-new courses were being developed specifically for digital media at Michigan State University. I enrolled in a graphic design course and I STRUGGLED. There was something about creating images on a screen that I felt took all the fun out of authentic hands-on creativity. Don’t get me wrong. Math was probably my favorite subject after art class as a kid, but I saw graphic design as a very technical field that limited real originality (at least back then). I mean, you had to click on like five different tools just to change the color of a stupid triangle that took me an hour to figure out how to make!

After about two days of that class I transferred to a copywriting course. The teacher was TOUGH. He was an old, crabby guy that considered anything less than greatness “absolute garbage.” He challenged me, and he changed me. That class showed me words were so much more than letters on a page. I learned there are few things on this earth more powerful than words. They are how we communicate and how we connect with others. Without words, we would be completely alone – and I don’t think life is about being alone. Life is about connections. Connecting with others is what gives us meaning. Words define life’s meaning, therefore language is bigger than us, and it’s a privilege to know and use.  

The summer prior to my senior year, I interned at BBDO Worldwide in Detroit. I LOVED it! I was offered a job upon my graduation in their Department of e-Solutions. Then tragedy struck. BBDO lost their biggest automotive account. Almost 500 people working in their Detroit office lost their job that day – and I lost sight of my dream of working at a big agency.

After earning my degree, I was spat out into the real world and shoved into the epicenter of two colliding universes. There was the world as we knew it, and then there was this emerging new digital world I didn’t quite understand yet. By the time I hit the job market, eCommerce websites were exploding. Looking back, when I was in that moment I never fully realized how unfortunate of a position my graduating class was facing. I was a hustler! Remember? I wanted to get out there and make money and be an independent woman! So I did! I wasn’t concerned with economics or politics. I was ready to get out there and do great things.

When we’re young, society hasn’t had enough time to pollute our outlook. Mental paradigms are still pure and anything is possible. There are a lot fewer people telling you no, or that you can’t do something. Back then, there were much less “what ifs” and “hows” and much more excitement and imagination surrounding what the future would bring. What I’ve learned since, is this child-like imagination is something marketers NEED to hold on to no matter what. This is how great ideas turn into brands that resonate.

Great marketers aren’t afraid to fail. Fear does not exist in the minds of those destined to BIG things. I have shared my story for two very important reasons. One being a call to action for all marketers to simply remember what it feels like to be a kid. This fearless, untainted way of thinking is what leads us to think differently. By thinking differently than everyone else, we can market differently than everyone else. We can emerge from this sea of digital noise and clutter that keeps multiplying at an exponential rate. Today, standing out is EVERYTHING. Modern marketing is about demolishing the status quo and creating something new. We all need to tap into our inner child a little more so that we can be better marketers and think in new ways. These reasons are exactly why I was so drawn to working for Digital Rain. I mean, the first thing you see on the company’s homepage is “WE ARE THE MEDIOCRITY KILLERS.” Done deal! A match made in heaven.

The second thing I hope you take away from this blog is you have to know what your strengths are. Define them, run with them, and don’t let fear get in your way. Change is scary. Failure is possible. But great marketers are professional adapters that never stop learning, growing, and changing. The best brands that have endured and conquered the digital shift are the ones that stay true to their strengths and their original values. “How” is a very dangerous word. If you truly want to accomplish something, take the “how” out of it. Rather than worrying about how you will achieve your goals, just take a step. Take one step in any direction you’d like to go and that is how dreams become reality, whether you are a seasoned marketer or just now entering the game. Just take a step.  

10 Fundamentals to Enhance Your Company’s Online Presence

In this era of digital marketing, companies are switching from outbound marketing to inbound marketing because they know they can reach their target audience much faster. With millions of people flocking to social media networks daily, it has become the most prominent place where brands can attract potential buyers and build a better relationship with permanent ones. This is exactly the reason why many brands have started focusing on inbound marketing to maintain a strong online presence because it heightens brand awareness.

Many marketing experts believe that the way an organization presents itself online is equivalent to the first interaction with their potential client. It is your online identity that represents your message and your brand in this digital age. As the world advances and inbound marketing takes over traditional forms, it is vital for brands to maintain a dominant online presence to ensure sustainable growth and the survival of your brand.

However, this is not an easy task. The competition that prevails today in the virtual ecosystem demands your brand to be highly relatable, recognizable, authentic and unique amongst your competitors. High visibility increases your credibility and consumers will remain consistent in buying your service/product. A bulletproof online presence is how you capture and hold the attention of your target audience. Today, customers want to connect directly with business owners before making a decision on whether to purchase their product/services. 
Provided that, let us examine the key aspects of securing your online presence. 

1.    Blog Regularly:

Blogging feeds your website with the content it requires to attract customers and retain their attention. Blogging twice a week is ideal, but a few times a month would do as well. A regularly updated web page allows the customers to believe that your organization is alive, active, and well, while providing valuable information. Also, note that Google always favors updated sites. 

2.    Guest Post:

An efficient way to increase your visibility is to share blog posts to websites whose target audience is similar to yours. Offer a proposal that is a win-win situation for both parties. 

3.    Social Media:

Social media is the king of marketing. If you want your brand identity to increase manifold, start regularly interacting with your audience on Facebook. Posting content relevant to your brand on social media platforms not only engages your customers but also allows them to share it and provide feedback. A single post on Facebook can reach thousands of your potential clients at the same time.

4.    Pay Heed to SEO:

Accurate keyword research and optimization of a website is one of the most significant elements of online marketing. Right keywords allow your customers to locate you quickly online, whereas Google ranks you on top for having relevant keywords and updated content. 

5.    Get Involved in Expert Forums:

Be active in online discussions. Share useful information and contribute to business discussions. This will give you a lead in the industry. Use platforms like Linkedin to locate other professionals of the industry you can reach out to. 

6.    Offer Freebies:

Your customers love a freebie. Timely offers, coupons or eBooks to increase goodwill amongst your clients will boost your image and enhance visibility. 

7.    Video Marketing:

A beautifully designed and shot video would not only go viral to increase your brand awareness, but your customers would also retain the information provided for a long time. 

8.    Mobile-Friendly:

According to a recent survey, more than 70% of people today use their smartphones to find information online. Mobile usage and search rates have now officially exceeded desktop. Put simply - people are shopping on their phones more than on their computers. Ensure your website is mobile optimized to allow a wider audience to access your content. 

9.    Trendy Topics:

If you study SEO copywriting techniques, the main element would be to provide content on trendy topics. Staying in touch with trends portrays a cutting edge, consistent, up-to-date identity for your brand. 

10.    Pay Per Click:

Pay-per-click or PPC marketing is another way to put your brand out there. It is an excellent way to generate traffic and increase awareness of your brand. 

A Product Review and Marketing Blog Rolled Into One

My "Blogstimonial" on Lo & Son

The Disclaimer

I have no affiliation with Lo & Son. In fact, there's a selfish part of me that would love to keep this company a secret before they turn uber trendy and every has one. But I will be above that and share my story. Let me also state I base the majority of my purchases on testimonials and reviews - although sadly I am not one to write them, for no reason other than lack of time (hopefully this makes up for something). 

About Me

I have never purchased something as important as a handbag without so much as seeing or touching it in person. If you are questioning the term importance in regards to a bag, allow me to clarify. To some women, a purse or bag is an extension of themselves both in design and functionality.

For me - a mother, business owner, frequent traveler, and Virgo to boot, I struggled to find that one business travel bag that checked all the boxes: travel-friendly, high quality, visually impressive, convenient, durable, versatile and if possible, affordable. I first came across Lo & Son on Pinterest, my go-to passive shopping mall. Being as I am in the marketing industry, I was first attracted to how enticingly simplistic their ads were. I wouldn’t have ever considered a bag from a company I had never heard of, but the videos showing what you can fit in each bag were both brilliant and intriguing. Regardless of my interest, I remained on the purchasing fence for nearly six months. As my hunt for the perfect bag progressed, Lo & Son became an increasingly appealing contender even with my reservations of this sight unseen product. When I did a search for the best travel business bag expecting to find Tumi at the top of the list, Lo and Son surprisingly made the organic top three. 

The Backstory

Let me regress for a moment. The Tumi Larkin was my frontrunner. 

1.  Because of Tumi's impeccable reputation for quality
2.  I work in a male-dominated industry, and Tumi says, "I’m here for business"

Tumi yields respect amongst the travel elite and secures assurance with their repair and replacement policy. My Tumi Voyager backpack has taken years of travel abuse. It's endured being kicked under airplane seats, spilled drinks, broken pens spewing ink, and it is still my go-to backpack. 

Tumi Larkin $495

Amazon Over Brook $29.00

Kate Spade Cedar Street $248

After the Tumi, I felt like it was time to grow up and get an adult bag. So I went with the audacious "Look at Me" Louis Vuitton. It was something similar to the current Pallas, and it gave me the “I've arrived" feeling I was hoping for. Yet it was terribly uncomfortable for a 15” Mac Book Pro and various other travel essentials.

The Hunt

You should also know I pack like a digital boy scout toting everything I may need in life while traveling. Despite the LV's discomfort of losing feeling in my fingers as the straps cut off my circulation, I dragged that bag to a least 40 cities in two years. When my new bag exploration resumed, I encountered a series of experiences that highlighted what I didn't want in a bag.

First, I fell in love with a Hot Pink Kate Spade tote (another brand that has captivated me with their marketing ingenuity and product creativity). Yet it didn’t hold up to being as professionally versatile as I had hoped. So I took the minimalistic approach and got a nicely rated bag on Amazon for the bargain price of $28. But this too lacked the convenience of strategically placed pockets and it didn't look refined. So my search led me right back to Lo & Son. After watching the video for the Seville tote another ten times I was finally convinced it had everything I needed.

The Checklist

• Versatility: Changeable shells, multiple covers and colors, and a nylon travel overlay for luggage.
• Convenience: Pockets and compartments intelligently placed for your phone, keys, laptop, and accessories.
• Style and Quality: The exterior shell layer of the tote is made from a scratch resistant, 100% perforated Saffiano leather. The Soft Touch Shell is made from an advanced polymer yarn that easily adapts when physical force is applied to it. The material makes the shell super lightweight, stain resistant, water resistant, and easily cleanable. (Description: Via the Lo & Son website)
• Size: Large enough to fit my 15” Mac Book Pro without feeling like I'm carrying a duffle bag. I will also preface that I am only 5'1", so displaying the size-to-height ratio on their website is a genius move on their behalf. The bag may be slightly big for my frame, but I am completely comfortable with it considering the massive list of "pros" stacked on its side.
• Impressiveness: Obvious.

The Plunge

So I pulled the rip cord and purchased the Seville. I don’t think I am different than most women given the fact that I may take months to make a decision. But once I do, I wanted it yesterday. So I purchased and eagerly watched for the shipment tracking number. The desire to receive my new bag was amplified by the fact that I wanted it for my upcoming business trip, to truly test the worthiness of the pending title of, "Best Bag Ever."

Lo & Son Seville

The Tipping Point

My aspirations came to an abrupt halt when there was a mix up with shipping, and my purse went MIA - albeit no fault of Lo & Son's. I was crushed, so I contacted them for assistance and was immediately blown away by their customer support, and grateful for the assistance of Marissa. Marissa quickly communicated with me and took my lost shipment as seriously as I did. I know this all sounds dramatic but what I can I say, I am a person of intense emotions, and this bag was long overdue! Long story short, they helped me recover the bag and even though I was mid business trip, they had it delivered to my hotel so I could rejoice and conduct my personal scientific testing of “the perfect bag."

The Glorious Outcome

When it arrived, I opened it with childlike enthusiasm and walked around the hotel somewhat like a runway model, running a series of A/B testing, changing it from left arm to right arm. I practiced swapping out the sleeve much like a NASCAR pit crew changing tires. Speed is an essential component due to my constant "running late syndrome." Could the Seville convert as easily as the woman in the video made it look? Yes! After about three fumbled attempts at looping the straps, I figured out the process and am now a pro.

Then I conducted the capacity storage test. Did it hold everything as effortlessly as they made it look? Once again, YES! Even despite the fact that I carry around 10 times more items than the lady in the video. I managed to fit not only my 15" Mac Book Pro, but also a bag full of cables and adapters, my Sony DSL camera, foldable flats, reports, folders, toiletries, a scarf, the current issue of INC. Magazine, and my copy of Rising Strong by Brene Brown. Not to mention an array of assorted pens, highlighters, and post-its. Even with all that, the Seville held up AND looked fantastic! Overly stuffed, but stunning none the less.

The Founder

Lastly, if you weren’t sold on all the previous points of quality, design, marketing, and top notch customer service, you must read their story. I could never pass up an opportunity to support female entrepreneurship and a family-focused business model. 

Helen Lo and Sons

It takes a lot to turn me into an advocate, and Lo & Son achieved this in every category.  I watch their sales like a hawk awaiting my next coveted addition, The Pearl, which I am confident will be the perfect daily purse just as the Seville has become the perfect laptop and travel bag. 

The Thank You

This testimonial is long overdue. I had meant to deliver a public thank you to Lo & Son after I received my Seville in March. However, time got away from me. With Mother's Day pending, I figured this was the perfect time to give a shout out to the fantastic work done by Helen Lo, to whom I wish a Happy Mother's Day. I sincerely appreciate her drive in designing functional and beautiful products for women and developing a culture that delivers stellar customer service.

Sincerely, Your Fan,
April Rain

The 4 Absolutes of Fearless Marketing

By Lindsay Kwaselow

1.     Rules? What Rules? The first rule of fearless marketing is that sometimes, you have to break the rules. Standing out does not happen by staying on top of current trends. The second you cross the threshold between keeping up with the latest trends and inspiring future trends is the second you become a relentless marketer. I’m not saying you have to be a psychic genius to be on top, but without risks your brand is in grave danger of blending in. 

It’s natural to fear risks. However allowing fear to overtake your vision can be absolutely devastating to your marketing goals. Instead, use fear as a motivator to prove you can overcome it.

In his Inbound 2015 Keynote, famous marketing guru and author, Seth Godin says, “Only a fool does something brand new and says it’s going to work for sure. And only a failure refuses to do something that isn’t guaranteed to work. When we do our best work, we have to walk into it saying it might work, and it might not work.”

Watch the video below to hear more from Seth Godin about taking calculated, appropriate business risks.

2.     Fear one thing, and one thing only: mediocrity. What happens when you hear the word “average?” Go ahead, say it out loud…“aaavvvverrrrage.” If you’re going to be a fearless marketer, your immediate reaction to this word should involve tears, screaming, begging for your mommy and hiding in a closet in fetal position. Better yet, just go ahead and completely remove this word from your vocabulary. Don’t even THINK about being average. Ordinary is not an option for fearless marketers. From this day forward you must commit to being different. Accept it, and tell your inner ten-year-old self that it’s okay to be unlike anyone else. Your friends will still talk to you, and better yet, your brand will flourish.

In Seth Godin’s Mindset of a Winner he says, “Mediocrity is for losers. In our Google-fueled world we have a choice of a million things for any topic. Who picks average? Who picks mediocre? Nobody.”

3.    The experience trumps everything. Seriously, everything. Even price. If you can’t offer a smooth, memorable, and exceptional customer experience you might as well not have a brand at all. Apple gets away with charging more for their products because their products are not just devices in which to communicate, they are a lifestyle – an impenetrable story wrapped up in the humble image of a piece of fruit.

The millennial market of buyers is arguably the fastest-growing market in history. Spanning the ages of 18-34, these individuals rate the purchase experience as more important than the price of a product. According to a recent DrivingSales study, this mentality is applied to the car buying process. “While finding the right vehicle at the right price is important to everyone, our study shows that most younger consumers want a positive customer experience at the dealership and are willing to pay a little more to ensure they get it.”

The experience is also the driving force behind marketing’s future. According to a 2016 Marketo study of 499 CMOs from around the globe, “Top marketing channels are those that lend themselves to personalizing the customer experience.” By 2020, it is predicted that the top channels for offering this experience will be:

·      Social Media (63%)

·      The Internet (53%)

·      Mobile Apps (47%)

·      The Mobile Web (46%)

4.    Fearless will never equate to heartless. The most powerful brands in the world represent genuine human values and emotions. Never dismiss the importance of including your heart and soul into your work. Also, remember to have a little fun! If you lack passion in what you’re selling, that secret inner voice will scream through the lines and graphics of every marketing piece you publish. The vast majority of the consuming public can sense insincerity, whether they are conscious of it or not. If you don’t believe in what you do, neither will your audience. That’s why values are so important in this business.

“What you can do as a salesperson, is you communicate emotion. But you can’t communicate emotion and trust to someone if they’re not listening,” says Godin. “The only people that listen to you are the people that are presold on you because someone told them about what you do and how you do it.”

Fearless marketers are not just technically and intellectually skilled. They’re also emotionally intelligent. Hubspot defines emotional intelligence as “The ability to understand the needs and feelings of oneself and other people, manage one’s feelings, and respond to others in appropriate ways.” This all comes down to likeability. If people like you, they will listen to you. If people trust you and believe your brand represents the same values they believe in, they will buy from you. To be fearless is to understand human emotion and to realize it’s impossible to be successful in marketing without this fundamental ability to empathize with others. 

How to Be a Fearless Blogger

By Lindsay Kwaselow

Confidence. It’s time to channel your inner honey badger. If those little weasels can brush off a venomous snakebite after a quick nap, you can write a blog. Don’t overthink the insignificant details. Be courageous with every single stroke of the keyboard. You have a story to tell and every line of your story must demand attention.

According to the article, 8 Tips for Fearless Communication in the Workplace, by authors Victoria Simon, PhD, and Holly Pendersen, PhD, “Courage is the foundation of successful communication – and successful communication is the foundation of great achievement.” Therefore if you can’t muster up every fluid ounce of confidence you possess, you will probably never accomplish anything of real value. Bleed confidence into each blog. That may sound a little messy, but it’s how to persuade and represent yourself and your business online.

Don’t Use Weak Language. The power that resides in a single word or phrase is unbelievably underestimated. Replacing only one word in a sentence can actually change the effect your story will have on your audience. Avoid using fragile or unsure language like “I just,” “I feel,” and “I think.” Women inparticular don’t realize how often they use weak dialect in their writing and also in their speaking. Jerry Weissman, author at the Harvard Business Review recommends replacing those wishy-washy terms with more absolute language like, “I’m confident,” “I know,” and “I expect.”

Weissman also advises, “The words “I think” introduce doubt, even if only subliminally, in the minds of your audience. As a presenter attempting to persuade an audience, your job is to provide them with as much certainty as you can.”

Fluff is for Pillows and Cotton Candy, Not Blogs. The average blog post is roughly 500-1000 words. There are arguments for both sides in terms of what exactly is the optimal length. Blogging experts are very much divided on this subject. Some say short is always better because no one reads anymore. Others recommend longer because it’s better for SEO purposes. The best answer is, it depends. It depends on the subject, the industry, and how often you’re posting (among other factors).

Famous entrepreneur, blogger, and author, James Altucher says, “If you are going to have a post greater than 200 words you need to get people’s eyes to dance down the page. There are three ways to do that: photos, bold text, and lists (or all three).”

Better to be Short and Sweet than...BORING. Content is a fundamental, unparalleled aspect of your marketing. We always hear, “The more content, the better!” However, keep in mind, if your boss calls for more and more content they are most-likely referring to more individual pieces of content - more blogs, more social posts, more e-books, more webinars. Longer does have the potential to be better. That is, if you have imperative and inspiring things to say. But if you find yourself looking for more words just to fill up space, that’s a problem.

People today have the attention span of a gnat. Seriously. You have about a half of a sentence to grab someone’s attention – so start off blogs strong. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to shock your reader with something unexpected, as long as it’s not offensive.

The Title is so Much More than “Just” a Title. This brings me to another very serious blogging element, the title. Sorry, but your blog title holds way more importance than your actual blog. Your title will ultimately determine whether or not you will win that teeny tiny but also monumental “click,” which is your one and only goal. Check out the book Tested Advertising Methods (although it was written in 1998, the same rules apply today). Strong titles include “How To’s,” “Numbered Lists”, and use words like “Introducing,” “Announcing,” “New,” and “Now” to create a sense of urgency. It can also be smart to incorporate a controversial term or ask a question in your title.

James Altucher sums up his success as a blogger and author by stating, “I bled, I delivered value, and I gave evidence nobody had ever thought of before.”

Rain on CBT News: Planning for a Better 2016

By Lindsay Kwaselow

On a very special edition of CBT News on Veteran’s Day, November 11th 2015, CBT anchors Joe Gumm and Corinne Lillis began the episode by thanking all our Veterans who have served and protected our country - with a special shout out to all the dealerships out there that hire veterans to represent their company and their brand.

This episode featured Digital Rain Inc. Founder and CEO, April Rain, who discussed digital marketing strategies for the year ahead. With 2016 right around the corner, dealerships are preparing for the New Year and attempting to avoid the mistakes they’ve made in the past to successfully create a unique marketing presence online.

With more and more new tech opportunities evolving, it can be difficult for dealers to choose the right solutions without becoming overwhelmed. April’s advice? First separate your wants from your needs. Differentiate your most critical needs from your wish list. Then narrow down your list to just five things, or five major problems you NEED to solve now. Find the products and technologies available and evaluate the ones that are most relevant to your needs.

It’s much less common that a product simply doesn’t work, but more so that you didn’t take the time to properly evaluate it! Make sure you fully understand both the capabilities and restrictions of a product from the beginning – before and during the launch process.

The next thing to remember is it’s so important to minimize all the clutter and all the noise all the “you should be doing this, and that” and really condense to what are the technologies that will solve your dealership’s current, specific problems moving forward. There’s so much out there and dealers really do need help narrowing it down! Consider the fact that there is no perfect solution. Everything has its pros and cons.

To get ideas of technologies to adopt you can always start with 20 Groups and conferences to see what others in the industry are doing. April suggests reading online reviews on products. There are a lot of different technology products that aggregate reviews. DrivingSales is a great example of a site that aggregates all the reviews of specific vendors in the automotive space.

With digital technologies advancing so rapidly, the line can become blurry between which products are durable solutions and which will become obsolete in six months. While April is a huge fan of trying new things and attempting to make processes bigger, faster, and better, she suggests first taking a step back and asking yourself:

1.     What is your budget?

2.     What are your capabilities?

3.     What kind of staff do you have in place?

4.     Do you have the resources to pull all this together and accomplish your goals?

Also ask vendors:

1. Does your product have a trial period?

2. What is the number one reason dealers cancel your product?

After you choose a solution, the next step is making sure that it launches and installs correctly. First follow the “assign-track-measure” mentality. April personally tasks and processes everything. She always recommends utilizing product management software to her clients. These systems are inexpensive and make collaboration a lot easier.  April said, “I use Smartsheets because it’s simple for any user to quickly grasp the concepts. If you want something more in depth, my personal favorite is Mavenlink, however Basecamp, Teamwork, and Wrike are very decent and affordable systems.”

Contrary to your marketing strategy, which needs to be unique, your technology platforms can be pretty broad. April advises using a checklist for different vendors to help you identify exactly what you are looking for. Things like: What criteria do I have for this product? How am I going to measure it? And then evaluate each vendor to the same criteria to ensure you’re comparing across the board.

April is also a huge fan of utilizing your team and getting them on board. There will be experts that know the software and it’s always smart to bring in help, whether it’s holding the vendor accountable for training or bringing in an outside expert to train your staff and help launch the product.

Utilizing your team is so important because they understand the operation of your store. They understand what the product will be able to do within your own culture, your own process, and your own habits. With that said, it’s crucial that you always pull your staff into the decision-making process. Staff or angry sales people can kill a product faster than anything especially if they feel like it's being pushed upon them.

Everybody wants to feel like they adopted something or that they were a part of choosing a product that helps sell cars. When you buy a product and just throw it to your staff and say launch it and take care of it – that creates resentment if they weren’t on board with the decision-making process in the first place. Once they are on board or involved, then you switch accountability and ownership to them to make sure that the product is universally trained and utilized and adapted throughout your entire store.

April will be a speaker at the CBT Automotive Conference and Expo in Atlanta February 9th-1tth at the Omni Hotel. Take advantage of early registration through December 18th at cbtconferenceandexpo.com.

Click here to watch April Rain on CBT News.