All Blog Posts (12,578)

How do you track the effectiveness of your online business?

I was recently speaking for a group of dealers from France and a gentleman from an Automotive research firm mentioned that 95% of all people are online. I've heard 70% to 95%. So let's just say it is a large majority of our customers.

For the past decade our company has been measuring effectiveness by three means. The walk in up, phone up and intenet lead. I believe we track this data as well as anyone. My closing ratios always compare with other large dealer groups and other sources… Continue

Added by Vinnie Micciche on May 5, 2010 at 11:38am — No Comments

Automotive Internet Marketing And The Rule Of Three

Using the rule of three for your marketing is a powerful way to increase sales. With a little research you will see that this rule of marketing has surrounded you for your entire life. Think back to your childhood and storytelling and you will see the rule of three in action. Remember the stories when you were a child: the three little pigs, Goldilocks and the three bears, three blind mice, the… Continue

Added by Todd Smith on May 4, 2010 at 4:12pm — No Comments

What does your writing say about you?

In the digital age, your writing skills are more important than ever. It is easy to convey emotion and intention when you are speaking to someone in person or on the phone. While these phone skills are certainly essential to being a good salesperson, it is equally essential to develop your writing skills. These few sentences you type are often the first point of contact with a client and the primary source of follow-up. The impression they leave is… Continue

Added by Jos Myers on May 4, 2010 at 10:42am — 2 Comments

Why People Fail

Regardless of what you have been told or even what you may have told others, failure does not primarily happen for most of the reasons people believe. It's not because you are lazy, intelligent, can't follow through, lack self esteem, in the wrong business or that your manager mistreats you. People fail, first and foremost,… Continue

Added by Grant Cardone on May 3, 2010 at 10:32pm — 6 Comments

If I Sold Cars Today - How Would I Do It Differently

The last year that I sold cars, before starting a BDC, was 2003. While 7 years doesn't seem like that long it was a lifetime in technology, and if I had to do it all over again I'd do it the same way. What? That's right, I'd do it the same but I would go about it very, very differently. You see, even back when I first started selling cars I understood the value of…

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Added by David Johnson on May 3, 2010 at 9:13pm — No Comments

ADP Launches Social Media Reputation Management Solutions

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Added by Ralph Paglia on May 3, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Research Reports Growing Influence Of Facebook and Other Social Media Channels

New Research Reports Support Growing Influence Of Social Media

Even for the naysayers who have written off social media as… Continue

Added by Ralph Paglia on May 3, 2010 at 7:00pm — 2 Comments

AdAgencyOnline.Net Advises Automotive Advertising Agencies To Build Phone Skills For Auto Dealers Using Phone-up Ninjas

AdAgencyOnline.Net is a respected automotive advertising resource / networking portal supported by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C.,(AAOL), a national network of independent automotive advertising agencies, production partners and select vendors. The affiliated offices of AAOL are linked by the online communication / distribution system developed by Philip Zelinger, the president of AAOL and the host of the blog talk radio station hosted on the… Continue

Added by Philip Zelinger on May 3, 2010 at 1:47pm — No Comments

Auto Dealer Legal Compliance

http://dealercomplianceconsultants.blogspot.com/

Added by Jim Radogna on April 30, 2010 at 10:23pm — No Comments

7 Deadly Sins Of Live Chat On Auto Dealer Websites

7 Deadly Sins Of Live Chat On Auto Dealer Websites

A poorly executed live chat solution plus a non existent or weak visitor engagement plan will take potentially one of your most powerful Internet sales tools, live chat, and turn it into a disappointing expense very quickly. We have seen these committed time and time again so here they are:

SIN #1

WAITING FOR THE VISITOR TO APPROACH

Keeping in mind that proactive chat produces 500% the visitor engagement and… Continue

Added by Maria Espinoza on April 30, 2010 at 5:36pm — No Comments

Digital Marketing Webinar Targeting Selling Cars Online

Are you looking for clear answers on how to increase sales for your new and used cars online? Join Brian Pasch, CEO of PCG Digital Marketing, on May 18th for a free webinar. Space is limited to 100 rooftops so please go online and register today.

If you are not sure if you can attend, please register for a future webinar since the demand for this top webinar will be strong. Car dealers are looking for ways new ways to leverage their most valuable assets: their… Continue

Added by Brian Pasch on April 30, 2010 at 2:38pm — No Comments

The Power Of Why!

As your doors open for business today I want you to ask yourself the following questions. Do my people understand their objectives? Do they understand their pay plans? Are their pay plans and the objectives linked together?

My experience from the stores I have evaluated is that the answer to these questions is no. Most managers give out goals and objectives and get employees to sign pay plans, that’s it. Then, everyone freezes up over HOW to get it done. The overwhelming question”… Continue

Added by David Lubertazzo on April 29, 2010 at 10:56am — No Comments

AdAgencyOnline.Net Reviews Car-Research -- XRM, Exceeding CRM -- For Automotive Advertising Agencies

Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of the automotive advertising resource/networking portal -- AdAgencyOnline.Net -- announced that he will be reviewing a new CRM platform solution being introduced by Car-Research in a special airing of his blog talk radio show "Automotive Advertising Experts." Automotive Advertising Experts is… Continue

Added by Philip Zelinger on April 28, 2010 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Dealer Chat Persuasion: Capture More Internet Sales

In today’s tough automotive environment every website shopper is an opportunity to turn a browser into a buyer. Your website alone won’t do it. You need a way to put yourself between your website and your shoppers. It is sales 101 to put a product professional in place to explain your vehicles and the services you offer. You do it in your showroom now so you… Continue

Added by Todd Smith on April 27, 2010 at 3:42pm — No Comments

Your online customers are standing in front of you... with their friends and family!

Or at very least that's how all of your dealership personnel should treat them. It reminds me of years ago when CRM tools were the new the rage. Remember that? When seemingly every dealership was racing to buy the best CRM tool with all of the most advanced and ease of use features? Back then I too was selling CRM solutions to dealerships and oft times I used an analogy that seemed to resonate with dealer principals and general managers and it went something like this:

Imagine a cell… Continue

Added by Ron Morrison on April 27, 2010 at 12:02pm — No Comments

Automotive Advertising Agencies Turn To Social Networking Communities To Learn How To Monetize Social Media

Automotive advertising agencies have accepted the Internet as a new media to supplement, if not replace, conventional radio, T.V. and print. However, social media still represents a challenge for many automotive advertising agencies who can't figure out how to monetize it. Philip Zelinger, the host of the popular automotive advertising resource / networking portal AdAgencyOnline.Net and the site's blog talk radio station --… Continue

Added by Philip Zelinger on April 26, 2010 at 4:30pm — 2 Comments

Does Your Dealership Ignore Customers?

Does Your Dealership Ignore Customers?

Would you feel comfortable letting shoppers mull around your lot or your showroom without ever being greeted, welcomed or offered assistance? What would the impact be to your bottom line if your sales people took such an approach with your walk in traffic and waited for the customer to approach them?

As disturbing as this is, this is exactly how most stores handle their web traffic. According to Google Analytics, if you do not take… Continue

Added by Maria Espinoza on April 23, 2010 at 3:40pm — No Comments

Do you Ask for Referrals, or Do you Earn them?

It's not a trick question - I really want to know. Here's why I ask: In every sales training meeting, book, or video I listened to early in my career, they always said the same thing - make sure when the customer leaves the lot you give them a big stack of business cards and ask them to send their friends and family your way. Funny thing is - most of these people were my managers, who I found out became managers because they never were able to develop a book of business the right way. I was one… Continue

Added by Tobias Sedillos on April 23, 2010 at 11:02am — No Comments

FULL DISCLOSURE MENU SELLING OR NOT?

Full Disclosure Menu Selling or Not?

You would think with the magnifying glass on car dealerships around the country today, F&I managers would take heed of the importance placed on full disclosure selling. You would think they would understand why disclosing a base payment, the APR, the term and all buying numbers prior to offering other product options is critically important.

Unfortunately, there is still confusion regarding “full-disclosure” menu… Continue

Added by Rebecca Chernek on April 23, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

Need to exclude auto dealers from the proposed Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection currently in the US Senate

The legislative alert below explains the urgency for us to make two phone calls to our US Senators. This bill if passed without Brownback Amendment will have a chilling effect to our future business. So, I urge each of you to take two minutes and pick up the phone to call each of two senators.

Legislative Alert Issued By NADA

The U.S. Senate is likely to vote on financial reform legislation as early as next week. The Senate bill would create a new Bureau of Consumer… Continue

Added by Alex Chung on April 22, 2010 at 2:29pm — No Comments