The new definition of insanity: In a changing world you keep doing the same thing the same way and expect the same results. What brought you success in the past just doesn't cut it anymore. The rules have changed so the tools you use in business to succeed have to change with it. This article is targeted at Auto Dealerships but can apply to many industries so please take a minute to see if you can glean some ideas for increased sales.

So many auto dealerships just don't get it when it comes to marketing in this changing environment. Joe Verde no longer carries the day and the usual "what will it take" lines wear like a polyester leisure suit in the sun. They miss it on so many levels that I can't possibly touch on it all in one blog article so we'll stretch it over a few.

Here are the major areas where they can see the quickest results if they change their game plan and adopt:

1. The Dealership website itself falls far short of what "today's customers" hope to find when they get there.
2. Real life Social Networking - normally non-existent because the people who would do it are salesmen who have to stand at the point to get customers instead.
3. Online Social Networking - which would integrate with real life networking and the website.

Let's start with the dealership's website

What does BMW sell? If you say, "cars, of course, you idiot" then you don't really get it. You have to buy the car in order to receive what BMW is actually selling. What they are selling is "performance" and "status". You can accelerate through a turn because the rear wheel drive doesn't try to jerk the steering wheel out of your hands with torque steer as in a front wheel drive car. Autobahn capable and superior handling that makes it a joy to drive and you look dang good doing it. Some company positions are helped by owning an impressive ride.

What does Volvo sell? If you are catching on, then you will probably say "safety". You just have to buy the Volvo to get it. Same with Lexus, they are selling "Luxury" and on it goes.

When you go to the automaker's websites you see what they are selling and the cars offered to fulfill that desire and emotion. Yet when you go to the average dealership website - all they seem to want to sell is cars. They may also be selling the fact that they are the "lowest priced" or their "largest inventory in 3 states" but when it all is added up they are selling an entirely different thing than their automaker. By the way, nobody actually believes you are the cheapest price or the best in customer services anyway. What you say about yourself on your own website means less than nothing. Buyers are not the only liars and they do understand that.

Consider this, if your potential customers actually wanted to find out "about" your brand of car would they be able to find that on your website? If they wanted to find out how your BMW stacked up with an Acura could they come up with that information on your site? Sure, you offer the BMW and great customer service with a CSI of 95% but is that all they are after?

The sad fact is that if shoppers want to find out 'about' cars, they don't bother with the dealer websites because it's an empty wasteland of information about their line of cars. They have to go to cars.com or Consumer's Reports, or J.D. Power to learn about the cars. Only AFTER shoppers have found the information they need from someone else do they bother to start looking at a dealer's site to scope out inventory and pricing. This should not be. Customer service would be to offer that information on your site. Pay someone half of what you are spending in dead newspaper advertising and allow him or her to keep it current. You can iFrame in that same information to your website from the outside sites very easily.

So many cookie cutter dealer websites should make it easy to be exceptional.

What do I mean by cookie cutter? I'm not talking about your flash and dazzle display of cars or inventory. I'm talking about the fact that cars are all you focus on. I'm talking about the fact that you really have to get over yourself and your inventory and start focusing on the customer's needs instead of your deals.

Think about this - what if on the front of your website you featured a couple of your best customers? In that feature you shared what their challenges were to buying a car and how they found the solution at your dealership. What if you shared a photo of a customer who wanted to buy a luxury car and have his or her explanation of how that Lexus she about from you met that desire in spades? What if you made a bunch of short shorts (15 second videos) with a series of your customers sharing their great experience in working with your staff and how the car and your people meet their needs?

Do you know that you can cut a quick handheld video into an iMac's iMovie, edit and upload to YouTube in roughly 15 minutes? Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world behind Google and if you are there you just might be found? Did you know you can create a virtual video channel in YouTube or Viddler.com and then import all your videos into your website in a snap?

This is so easy to do it's almost silly. When you feature customers in the video and then tell them how to find it, guess what they will do? I guarantee they will not only find it, they will post it to their Facebook for all their friends to see. What if someone was assigned to video each delivery and the happy customers driving away in their new car or truck? Then post it and send them the link? Don't make the salesman do it. Remember, he has to 'man the point'. Hire and train some one to do it as part of their marketing portfolio. This, folks, is what people WILL believe. They will believe what others say about you ten times over what you will say about yourself.

Those customers that are Social Network savvy will Facebook it, Tweet it, post it to their blog, bookmark that page in your site in Digg, StumbleUpon or Del.icio.us. Their friends will be checking it out and you will literally drive your site traffic over the top very quickly. This is so stupid easy to do that it befuddles me to understand why I never see these things done on dealer websites.

If all you can think about is "get me #1 on Google" for my brand of car then you have no clue about what internet marketing is all about. If you think of your customers as being like fish, you will find them swimming in Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and all the rest. Place your bait where they are swimming and you will catch fish. More on that angle in another article.

Focus on the Customer - Not Your Inventory

Let the other dealerships trip all over themselves posting their best offers and beat themselves to death 'ballooning up". Feature your customers receiving performance, safety, luxury, toughness or off-road ruggedness. Tell their story and connect with their emotions. The pocket book will always follow the desire of the heart. Rarely is a car or truck bought based on the "deal" or the stats. They are bought because the customer was sold on the emotional satisfaction the car or truck offered. They then did their research to simply justify their decision. If "because I want it" is the primary motivation for justifying a purchase, why does your dealership website major only in the justification? Get in on the emotion of the thing. Help them feel the thrill.

If you will focus on that on your home page you will be the only one in your area that does. It will pay you dividends. If you are happy with your current results, then just ignore all this. If you are tired of beating that dead horse to death, then why not give this a whirl and see how it improves your performance and traffic.

Next - Real Life Networking

In my next article I'll share another missed opportunity - real life networking. Golden opportunities missed everyday because your salesman is marooned in your dealership as if in jail. I'll share ways of overcoming that and getting some action in your community.

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John Clark has sold BMW, Honda, Dodge, Mercury, Lincoln, Suzuki and Mitsubishi lines of cars for many years. He has been the internet manager for two dealerships, Top New Car Salesman in volume and carried a 100% CSI for BMW before leaving the car business to start his internet consulting company, Wow Web Works.