2017 GNYADA Membership Directory

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Social media is an extremely enticing platform for both free advertising and fun photos that give your dealership
a lively edge. Many manufacturers, in fact, encourage social media usage to drive sales. If social media this is part
of your dealership’s business strategy, be careful about what those photos include, and be sure to obtain signed
consent forms from any subject of a photograph that you plan to use for marketing purposes.
The proliferation of customer “selfies” creates ample opportunities for business owners to profit from their use.
It’s a common case in dealerships: a customer poses for a photo with their new car and posts it on social media, a
dealer then sees the photo uses it on the dealership’s own social media account(s). It’s organic digital sharing, but
it’s also now being used for business promotion.
Use a Consent Form
Whenever you use photographs of customers or employees for advertising purposes, you must obtain a release
from them. The social networking realm is not exempt from this.Without a release, you could be sued for improper
usage of the image under the New York Civil Rights Law.
Before you balk at the notion that staff should also have to sign a release, consider that they may not remain staff
forever. A bitter ex-employee can cause an even bigger stir than a complaining customer.
To avoid this potential headache altogether, it’s a good idea to refrain from posting images of customers, staff, and
other individuals to your social media accounts. If you do shoot or stumble across that perfect picture of a beaming
customer giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up in front of the new ride they just bought from you, be sure to obtain
written consent before using it.
SELFIES
A sample release form can be found on our website for your reference and use.