I’m happy there are experts but the people trying to ride their coat tails need to grow up and provide something worth while to the automotive community.

In the hunt to be on the cutting edge it takes a lot of time and effort to push the envelope and not everybody can. Those that offer tomorrow’s solutions today are either the best at what they do or just plain spam material.

I was not going to publish your reply because you did not identify yourself but with a little research I was able to gain your true identity and understand your scathing attitude.

Your social media interactions in the past have always been antagonistic.

Your business model as a wannabe Tony Robbins is laudable but it is your chosen field – Good luck with that.

You have a direct tie with this misguided attempt. Even in emails you sent me you used the term “aspiring” social media trainers.

I have never claimed my specialty as social media “expert”. I am just a user of the medium.

“Biggest baddest dog in the yard” – Never want to be nor feel that I am. The things my company does for dealers, we are at the top of the game, but we don’t want to work with thousands or even hundreds of dealers. Around 100 is the tipping point.

If you don’t wish to identify yourself when you disagree with others and want to attack their credibility it’s probably best that you just remain silent or grow a pair and use your name.

Participating in the social web is not a dealership activity, it is an activity people at the dealership need to participate in to build their business, including the dealer..

No different than working a room, just venue has changed.

Your points in your previous comment were right on. It’s creating connections, interacting with them and becoming a trusted resource.

The devils in the details.

We all have our on ideas and opinions of how it should be accomplished. I know what has worked for me in the past when I was in a store and what has worked for me to build my business.

Could I write a playbook? Maybe, but I don’t consider myself a pro and I doubt many would listen…

I respect your opinion and you have the credentials to back your success, but I see LITTLE profitability in the future of Social Marketing as it stands right now. What we (DEALERS) need is a provable path to emulate as to find the right message to send to out clients, and future customers. I see more HYPE than substance. I would appreciate your input!

If not – Why does your company utilize methods of promotion such as email spam? (btw: Which is probably illegal)

@Ryan – Not as many updates here as I would like, working on a redesign now and having others from all over the country contribute content. Let’s catch up I am not hard to find..

@Rob this is typical Paul Rushing style blogging, exposing the nonsense that is out there. It’s a hard pill to swallow. If something crosses his screen you best hope the message is accurate and clear, otherwise this is what you get, which I think has been good for the auto industry as more and more automotive professionals pick up on the new mediums of communication on the Web. It keeps us all honest.

@Dave I really appreciate your comment tying together social media relationship building with real relationship building. In my experience I have found it difficult to establish new relationships via Social Media but the ones that were established this way tend to be pretty strong. Most of the people working for me today I met initially on the Web. Ironically, establishing dealership customers via Social Media has not been fruitful. Those relationships have required telephone and face-to-face appearances, which I think is an indication of the comfort zones with auto dealers.

So many car dealers are unsure about the idea because it has something to do with computers, the internet and something called Social Media but if we take all of that away it’s still networking except now we are connected to even more people and we are in a virtual space.

I say all that because somebody that is a PRO at building real relationships has a jumpstart at being a PRO using social media. As with all sales the car business is about people and it always will be.

I guess we all have standards for the term “pro”. For me, part of being a “social media pro” is someone that has tested their skills in many situations, locations and industries.

Someone can get very good at social media in one place of business but there are so many things that compromise social media that would not be learned staying at one dealership.

Paul’s point is well taken. Someone who is out “teaching’ social media should have a wide searchable paper trail on the Internet. Someone running SM at a dealership would not necessarily have that direct link.