An associate of mine recently told me an interesting story about their 75-year-old father, who purchased an import, rather than a domestic vehicle, for the first time in over 60 years. This was sometime around 2010.

When it was time to replace his domestic minivan, the first thing my associate’s father did was to check the Sunday paper to see in any big sales were…

What's your process for engaging with customer's digitally throughout the sales funnel? Far too often businesses are only focused on lower funnel engagement and conversions. 

Understanding where each customer is within the sales funnel can help you determine what the conversation should be digitally at that point. 

On this episode of Hard Facts, Samantha explains how a business can leverage digital body language to better engage with customers, which will help close the…

For the past 15 years or so, technology has existed which enables customers to schedule service appointments online. In the beginning, the systems were very basic – the customer filled out a form online and an e-mail was sent to someone at the dealership who may – or may not – confirm that appointment.



Fast forward to today and online service appointment…

Quick question -- do you think that advertising has changed in the last 5 years? 

On this week's Think Tank Tuesday, I talk about the path of a customer and how that can affect your marketing strategy. Watch it now and join the conversation.

Also, take a moment and register for Part 1 of our 3-part mini series by clicking here. You'll learn…

Consumers have gravitated to the Internet for – well – just about everything. So, when it comes to digital marketing, it’s more important than ever for marketers to know what’s working and what’s not. Everything from SEO, to content, to social media and display ads contributes to the lure which brings consumers into dealership showrooms.

Currently, the single…

When it comes to customer loyalty programs, customers like to feel appreciated and recognized for their loyalty. And, if they are not, it doesn’t take much to turn them away from being loyal customers into brand advocates.

I recently came across an interesting story about an Uber customer who wrote an open…

Influencer marketing. It’s an affordable way to get your brand name out there and increase your sales. But where do you start?

In order to add influencer marketing to your strategy or campaign, you have to iron out the details. In this week’s Hard Facts episode, Samantha reveals what you need to do before you take on key leaders that will promote your brand message.

Watch the video to learn more!…

Millennials are growing in number and their car buying preferences are vastly different than baby boomers or Gen X. There are so many conflicting reports and studies, so I recently read up on the subject and came across several interesting pieces of information that I thought I’d share in this blog:

1. Millennials drive more than any other…

No matter the business niche, texting is currently a must, and it promises to continue being useful for years to come. The advantages of texting are numerous, but in a sea of texting apps, it is hard to choose one for your dealership.

“Will it meet my needs? What if it is not TCPA-compliant? What if it does not work? How much money is too much?” These are all…

In today’s competitive marketplace, women buyers are crucial for auto dealer’s success.

As the #BigDataAuthority we are thrilled to publish the all-inclusive 2017 US Women’s Car Dealer Report that shares trends, behaviors, preferences and experiences women have when Purchasing, Shopping and in the Service Drive.

It’s not enough to just ‘know’ women’s habits when purchasing a vehicle at a dealership. ‘Knowing’ doesn’t make a difference.

Dealers that are…

Change is something that is critical to your business. If you’re not adapting to the change around you, you’re bound to fall behind the ranks of your competitors!

Join Paul and Ashley on this week’s Think Tank Tuesday as they give you tips and tricks on how to conquer your fear of change in the workplace and in your personal life.…

By: Laura Madison, National Director of Sales at Alan Ram's Proactive Training Solutions

The most frequent question I get asked by salespeople who want to use social media to sell cars is, “where do I start?” Many salespeople want to leverage social…

One of the advantages of Pre-Paid Maintenance Programs (PPM) is that they span the generational gaps. Regardless of which generation consumers happen to be in, none of them like surprise repairs, or other expenses. That’s why dealers focus on payments – and not price – when selling cars.

Consumers want fixed expenses. When it comes to millennials, they tend…

Technology has drastically changed the way businesses and auto dealers operate. Hey, think about it. It was not too far in the distant past that we did just about everything via fax machine. Leads came in, financing was secured and, well, just about everything was via fax.

Consider this… there was once a time when radio and newspaper were the dominant media…

This week on Think Tank Tuesday, Paul goes through some of the titles of sales events that we’ve all heard of…but may not really understand.

We’d love to hear what you have to say. Comment below and follow us on Facebook.

Website:…

One day, while bringing my vehicle into a large, very well-known dealership for service, a rather comical scene played out before my eyes. While the shuttle driver was leaving the dealership, his mini-van full with customers, all of a sudden a strong gust of wind came through. The shuttle van’s windows were open at the time and papers started flying out of the vehicle. He…

Is there such a thing as a million dollar strategy or a one-size-fits-all strategy for your digital advertising?

On this episode of Think Tank Tuesday, Paul, Ashley, and Juliana discuss brands that have attempted to utilize a million dollar strategy and whether or not it could be repeated for your business. …

Today’s reality regarding real-time communication is proven in the data. On average smartphone users in the United States send 764 text messages and place 164 phone calls per month. Without a doubt younger users skew the data, but even people aged 55 to 64 text on average 80 times per month and 65+ text on average 32 times per month. Based on this information we can…

The statistics are there: car buyers spend 59 percent of their time online before they purchase car, according to a 2016 study from Cox Automotive. This same study cited 88 percent of customers used the internet to purchase their vehicle and 46 percent use multiple devices to get to a dealer’s website, with 14 percent using only a mobile statistic.

Why are…

When someone considers buying a new vehicle, they are probably not very concerned about advertising gimmicks. Consumers are generally aware that manufacturers will say positive things about their models. Most consumers are therefore more likely to listen to what friends and family or even other reviewers have to say about a model. Word-of-mouth is more powerful than an advertisement. If an uncle says that a mechanic is reliable and trustworthy, the consumer is more likely to go there. The…