Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Ford Motor Continues to Grow in China
The Chinese auto market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, so it is very important that all automakers pay close attention to the trends in China and fight to offer what one of the largest countries in the world wants. The management at the Ford Motor Company has recognized the opportunities available for Ford in China and has been aggressively marketing their cars overseas.
The Ford Motor Company has sold a record 301,524 vehicles in China in the first half of 2010. With the tremendous growth that has been happening in China every year, this number is up a massive 53 percent from the same period in 2009. The company has stated that part of the reason for the huge growth in China this year is due to the release of the new Fiesta subcompact car which has been popular among Chinese buyers.
With an unforeseeable end to the tremendous growth in demand for cars in China, it is foreseeable that Ford auto sales in the country could top those of the company's home country, the United States. So far sales for automakers in China have grown by 26 percent this year over last. Ford's joint ventures within the country include, but are not limited to Changan Ford Mazda Automobile and Jiangling Motors Corporation. The Ford motor company is poised to continue to be on the rise in China with these ventures helping it along the way. The Jiangling Motors Corporation joint venture is focused on growing the sales of commercial vehicles in China, a sector of the market with an enormous potential for growth.
The Ford Motor Company Finds Success With Online Social Networks
Cleveland Ford and area dealerships have gone social! Ever since Facebook released its social scene to businesses, Ford has created Fan Pages for each one of their new cars and new trucks. Ford dealerships across the country have also found a way to connect to Ford owners and buyers by creating a fan page for their dealership. However, it wasn't enough for this American automaker; Ford also is active on YouTube, Twitter, Flickr as well as top social bookmarking sites such as Delicious.
Ford Motor Company and dealerships have been very successful with active profiles on Facebook. Ford has the solution for engaging its fans and attracting more people, whether they are new or classic Ford owners or are just car enthusiasts. Do you want to know the secret to successful social media campaigns? Just look at what Ford does with its Facebook fan pages.
5 Ways the Ford Motor Company Engages Fans
1. Frequent polls - This is an example of one poll posted on Ford Motor Company's fan page recently: "LA Lifeguards and Hybrid Escapes on the beach at Portraits of hope yesterday- what's not to like? We'll post pictures soon but now we're wondering- will you be laying on the beach or by the pool this summer?" (Posted on May 27, 2010) - Each wall post includes a link on Facebook, where fans can vote. The results are given just a few days later or sooner. The results for this poll? The results of this particular poll were posted the next day: "We polled Ford fans: pool versus beach and you voted... beach. Let this photo get you in the mood. Here is the L.A. County Lifeguard Services' fleet with their 45 Escape Hybrids which have been used in more than 19,754 rescues and nearly 3 million rescue preventions. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!"
2. Wall posts with pictures - What's more engaging than reading a wall post with a great pic of a new Ford Hybrid Escape or Fusion? Pictures sell. There's even a picture of an assembly line.
3. Daily updates - Want to keep your fans and friends engaged? Write fun, light and interesting wall posts, discussions, polls, and links to keep fans interested in Ford trucks and cars.
4. Public updates - Yes, let your fans post their pictures of new, preowned or classic Ford cars and trucks, after all that's why Ford is in business - selling cars to people. The best way to get fans engaged in conversation is allowing them some freedom to post their stories, comments, questions, pictures and links too. One fan posted the picture of his Ford Focus from the Czech Republic.
5. Add apps - Facebook has almost every kind of app available for businesses to utilize and promote their products, services and information. Ford has a video app with several short videos about its new Ford cars and trucks' features including the Ford SYNC, inflatable rear seat belts and the AppLink for the all new 2011 Ford Fiesta. Also, check out the Ford Webcasts, a new application for companies that have such media online.
In today's competitive automotive marketplace, it pays to be found both on TV and online, and with YouTube's video social network, Ford can be in two places at once. Ford's YouTube channel not only advertises its newest vehicle, the Ford Fiesta scheduled to debut sometime this summer, but also other new Ford cars and trucks, Drive Safe and Drive Smart videos. Videos are added often featuring the most recognized features of Ford's line of vehicles as well as recent auto shows and national commercials.
The Ford Story also has its own channel, which reaches out to communities as well as provides that extra personal touch for Ford fans and enthusiasts across the country and around the world. The Ford Story channel touts it is "Your Story," Ford fans can tell their own story about how Ford helped them or how Ford helps communities. Ford does community service too.
Ford's Facebook and YouTube social networks wouldn't be complete without the ever increasing popular micro-blogging aka social network, Twitter. When people search for Ford on Twitter, Ford is always number one with its recognizable blue and chrome oval logo. How many people are following the Ford Motor Company, let's try 31,407 as of this writing. Ford's Twitter account may not beat out Ashton Kutcher's 5 million plus followers, but Ford is still quite happy that it has loyal followers. Ford offers timely tweets about production, new features, news, dispels rumors and offers safety advice for all its new cars and trucks.
Other verified Ford sites that are found on these popular social networks include:
Ford Driving Skills For Life on Twitter as FordDSFL and Facebook.com/FordDrivingSkillsForLife - Ford took the opportunity to educate young and newly licensed drivers about the driving safely and how to handle various road conditions. FDSFL knows it's never too early to teach teens about proper driving skills, even more than what many driving schools offer. Two of the best ways to reach young drivers is through social networking and Ford has found success here.
As long as social networking trends continue, Ford's new trucks and cars will continue to be active online in order to keep fans and owners' loyalty across the nation. Online social networks have more power and diversity to reach more people, and this American auto manufacturer has a captive and active audience.
5 Safe Driving Tips For Teens From the Ford Motor Company
Ford Driving Skills for Life has reached over 300,000 teens, parents and teachers since it's creation in 2003. It's a national safety initiative aimed at teenagers who have received or are about to receive a driver's license. The complete program includes a video, preview activity for students to complete before viewing the video, an online quiz, brochures and a take-home letter for students to give to their parents. Ford Driving Skills for Life was developed by national safety experts and is designed to teach students skills that are needed for safe driving that goes beyond what they learn in regular driver's education classes. According to Ford Driving Skills for Life, vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teenagers in America. Follow these safe driving tips supported by your local Ford dealer to ensure you or a friend do not become part of this horrifying statistic.
• Always wear your seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 31,693 passenger vehicle occupants died in traffic crashes in 2004 and 55% were not wearing their seat belt. It's a law in every state (except New Hampshire) to wear a seat belt so not only can you be terribly hurt in an accident, but you can also be ticketed if you are seen driving without one. People give a variety of excuses for not wearing seat belts ranging from "crashes are rare events" to "I'm not going that far." However, what people don't realize are that for every excuse there is an explanation that will derail it. In fact, to derail the two previous excuses, crashes are not rare, every day 36,7000 crashes occur, and three out of four fatal crashes occur within 25 miles from the home. There's absolutely no good reason why you shouldn't wear a seat belt, so wear one every time you drive, and insist that others wear them too.
• Never drink and drive. More than a third of all fatal teen car accidents involve alcohol and it's illegal and extremely reckless and dangerous to drive while intoxicated. Even in small amounts, alcohol affects driver performance by slowing reaction time, unfavorably affecting hazard perception, vision and also increasing confidence and decreasing inhibitions. According to Ford Driving Skills for Life, raising the minimum drinking age to 21 has saved over 21,000 lives since 1975. Drivers are less likely to wear seat belts while drinking, in fact 77% of teen drivers who were killed in drinking and driving related car accidents were not wearing a seat belt. Drinking and driving is a huge problem among teens, don't become a statistic, never drink and drive.
• Check tires every day before driving. Safely operating your car requires that the tires are properly inflated. A tire can lose up to half of it's air pressure and look fine. This is why it's so important to check the air pressure in your tires before driving every day. When a tire is not inflated correctly, it can cause a blowout, which will result in a loss of vehicle control and an accident that can leave you and others seriously injured.
• Slow down. Never go over the speed limit while driving in normal conditions. When driving in poor conditions such as rain or snow, that require your windshield wipers to be on, driving slower is a good idea because your visibility and traction has decreased so it is harder to stop when needed. When it's dark outside, visibility decreases, so driving slower will give you more time to react if something were to run out in front of your car, like a deer or a car you couldn't see. If you're driving in a hilly area or on winding roads, you should slow down because you cannot see what's around the corner and it's easier to lose control of the vehicle when you're going fast on winding or hilly roads. Also when there is an increase in traffic, you have less space and therefore you should slow down. You never know when a car is going to need to slam on their breaks or change lanes in front of you and if you're going too fast, there's a greater risk of having an accident.
• Get rid of potential distractions. Driving needs your full attention and distractions like the CD player, cell phones and passengers can take your attention away from driving and dramatically increase your risk of having an accident. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that teen drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a distraction-related crash than any other age group. Avoid distractions by staying off your cell phone while driving, keeping your passengers to a minimum and choosing a CD or radio station to listen to before you leave the driveway.
Following these tips provided by Ford Driving Skills for Life will help you become a better, safer driver. New drivers are especially susceptible to accidents because they lack experience. Don't allow yourself or a friend to become a teen car accident victim. Keep these tips in mind every day while driving, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination, pay attention to what's around you and share these tips with others. They may save your life.
Rob Gillingham is the General Manager of Bob Gillingham Ford, located in Parma, Ohio, which sells a variety of new Ford cars and trucks, preowned and Ford classic vehicles. They are Northeast Ohio's only combination Saleen and Roush dealer and has been in business since 1957.