When I’m talking with dealers about various aspects of their online marketing strategy, the reason that they most frequently bring up for why they aren't more involved in social media is that they or their teams don't have the time.  I'm a strong believer in the theory that time is the new money, so I agree that sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day.  At DealerOn, we believe that there is a definite benefit to devoting time and effort to…

Change once again is rocking the automotive digital marketing world as Google today drops the third party review counts from its yellow stars. ONLY reviews directly posted on Google Places are showing. This screen shot of BMW of Scherville showed all the DealerRater reviews last week in their star counts but not today.

This is what their Google Places account…

Nicki Allen of Classic Mazda and Classic Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Denton gives new perspective to some traditional ideas in the automotive business.  A focus on new technology defines a new attitude for these Texas dealerships. Click the image above for the full feature.

“What is the number one challenge most dealers have with improving profits?”  1) Employee Turnover, 2) Capital, 3) Inventory, 4) Process, and 5) Recruiting Talent.  Of those polled, 30% answered “Recruiting Talent”.

It is not rocket surgery (it is easier to build a rocket than trouble shoot and repair one) as to how talent affects the dealership’s bottom line.  What puzzles me is why…

How can car dealerships all over the world get more appointments that show up at your automotive dealership? In order to determine the answer to this fantastic question, we need to look at the problem first.

The problem is: salespeople, managers, service writers, even BDC representatives are not giving customers a reason to return the dealership. They may be calling the customer back, but best intentions rarely get you to the finish line.

The question is what are they…

What's the automotive retail industry's greatest challenge? According to several top selling dealers I've talked with recently, the answer is the negative perception the public has about car dealers.

Their concern isn't focused as much on what the customer thinks, but more so on what potential…

I am not qualified to write on this subject of leadership, but my heart is. Everybody has an idea of what leadership means to him or her personally. Leadership to me is simply this: stoop first, then lead. How can you lead someone from something if you don't feel it first? Do you know what it is like to lose a child; stoop and imagine your own child never again…

If the world was devoid of you, what would it be like and contrast that with if you were the whole world?  Which do you think would be the better place?

The above question was something that passed through my busy brain one night as I prepared for duty the next day at the office.  It seemed like an interesting way to…

Have you ever noticed symphonic conductors are the only ones not making a sound?  During a performance, conductors manage by miming; through facial expressions and hand gesturing, they guide the musicians through a performance. Like a coach, a conductor is unable to offer instruction during a performance; he has to rely on thorough preparation and…

IIt does not happen often, but sometimes I find myself bored.  This week I find myself working remotely with my toes in the sandy.  Without the distractions of the office, I am actually finding myself completing my normal task list with time to be bored.  So how does someone who is usually as busy as a bee handle boredom?  I have learned to embrace this simple and rare luxury as a gift to take a…

As an invited guest to the NAS Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum, I had the honor of attending the "winging" of a group of young aviators.  Rear Admiral Mark Vance was the guest speaker to address this assembly of recently graduated Navy and Marine aviators with a welcome to the fleet speech.  I found myself feeling like I too was being given a "charge to order on the tip of the spear".  The…

Today wasn’t any different from any other- just another day. One salesperson is on the verge of divorce; another is separated from his wife and two kids; another was late today due to a bad dialysis treatment; the other one didn’t cover his draw last month and doesn’t know how he can make ends meet; another had to be picked up while walking down the road after his car broke down; and another is shocked having made a follow up call to a customer -no answer; the customer is on the run…

Just as 83,000 gross tons of a cruise liner is secured to land by various cables and anchors, what moors your life? The cables and anchors of your life are your values; you never know how secure those cables are until the storms of life come in and test their strengths. Tell me moor.  Have you been moored with the illusion of money? Have you lost the…

Teamwork is crucial for the viability of a business. Slogans have been barked from summer camp to corporate retreats shouting the mantra of Teamwork. Sales, like sports, are intertwined with “I” and “Team.” They are literally Siamese Twins- almost indistinguishable. No team can win consistently without each team member preparing and executing to the best of his or her ability. No “I’s” can sustain long-term success without the aid of their…

While speaking to a 20 Group last month, I was asked if transferring leads to the sales floor is the best way to manage online opportunities.  Simply put, I prefer an Internet department still to this day. I understand many are saying "disperse leads to the sales floor because all customers are internet shoppers anyway and they should be able to assist them". Here is the flaw... constructing well-worded replies without spelling errors and well-thought out responses with grammatically correct…