Every day in North America, millions of people utilize search engines with the intent to find answers to their implied questions, or identify solutions for their problems.  Think about the last search you conducted online. Was it with the intent to find answers or solve problems? Of course it was.These days, anytime I want an answer for something whether it’s who…

For the most part, most dealers understand the importance of having content on their websites. They know that search engines love unique content and if they have any hope of ranking well for keywords other than their own name, they need content to help expand their reach.

Things have been changing a bit for the last year. A new type…

By Robert Cannon

When I was young my father bought a Ford Galaxie Sunliner. Bright red and a convertible to boot. I loved how it looked and I also loved how fast it was. My father was a dentist and so the only tools around our house were for probing and poking inside the mouth and not the engine of a car.

I did not learn about the inside of the car…

It looks like everyone wants to be in the automotive lead generation business. Over the last year I have been writing about Google Cars; a program (in beta testing) to present new car inventory to consumers shopping for a car directly in Google search results.  Dealers are charged by Google on a per lead basis. 

Today, I learned that TRUECar has expanded…

Currently our dealership advertises on both Cars.com and Auto Trader.  My GSM is convinced we do not need to be on both, and that we will sell the same amount of cars if we drop one.  I have a lot of hesitations about this.  Over the past 6 months we have sold 11 cars from Auto Trader and 15 cars from Cars.com; not to mention the cars we have sold from our website due to the traffic from Auto Trader and Cars.com.

Since we are locked in with lower rates with Auto Trader he…

This is part 3 in a series about building brand ambassadors at the dealership.

Let’s assume, for a moment, that you have step one on the path to building your Brand Ambassador…

In the automotive business, we expect there to be critics. We understand that there are detractors to our business. No one understands the value of “the voice of the customer” better than an automotive dealer. In fact, there’s been a whole business built around “relationship management” specifically for the automotive industry.

Social media has taken this concept…

What is hidden wealth? Hidden wealth is an unused, dormant or under utilized part of your business that contains great value. All businesses have at least one hidden wealth. Even the best businesses in the world contain hidden wealth. The key is to determine your hidden wealth and begin to mine the potential gold that lies therein. All businesses are different. Each business should require their leaders to conduct a concerted effort of introspection and egoless honesty to determine what…

Can the argument be made that today’s car dealership would increase earnings if they fired all salespeople and implemented a new process from scratch?

Let’s start with creating a BDC. We would hire women between 35-50, pay them $20 an hour to set appointments. Most of these women would be moms with kids in school so getting to the dealership by 8:00am would be no problem.

After the BDC confirms the appointment…

This is part 1 in a series about building brand ambassadors at the dealership.

It isn’t what you’re saying on social media that has the biggest effect on your business. It’s what others are saying about you that makes the true impact.

I’ve used those words in various forms since 2008. It’s…

Train your people, and Train yourself!

I am in dealers all over the country and the one constant I find is the LACK OF TRAINING! How do owners and managers expect to grow their market share with salespeople who have no direction or training?

Typically we arrive a day early to set up for our sale, and I will sit down with the managers and do a Q&A session. When their questions and concerns are addressed I will usually ask them for the…

This article was written by: Russell Grant

From speakers at NADA workshops to automotive manufacturers in trade publications to vendor product advertisements online, everyone is talking about how big data is changing the future of marketing in our industry. But most of the GMs I talk to aren’t nearly as concerned with the marketplace and the direction it’s taking, as they are with their business and where it’s going. They want to know two things—how can big data save me money and how…

The ripple effect, do you understand it?

Every action has a reaction, no matter how small or large. Any time we stretch the truth, tell a white lie or right out tell a whopper of a lie there is a reaction.

When a salesperson…

Sales people provide life for all companies. If everything starts with sales people, it only makes sense to make sure that you are recruiting the best potential sales people

Tip 1: Recruit from want, not need. Make recruiting an everyday activity, don’t wait until you need it.

Tip 2: Have a strategy to recruit people all the time. To orchestrate a successful ongoing recruiting program you must first have a game-plan. Plan and…

It’s generally a pretty good indication, that if you’re read your Miranda Rights, your legal troubles may be just beginning. Your rights advise you that you have the choice to either remain silent or if you choose to speak, anything you say can and will be used against you. A confession inevitably leads to a prosecution-the question is what are you confessing…

CarChat24 receives a "Top Rated" Award for Dealer Satisfaction in Chat Products Category

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Feb. 11, 2013 –…

In order to create brand loyalty and customer evangelists, you must consistently evaluate your dealership's customer service across each category.

1-Physical: This deals with the brick and mortar component of your operation , that are physical elements,that are long term and cannot be changed daily

2-Setting: Refers to the controllable setting you create everyday. As Disney…

Many car dealerships understand and appreciate the ability to track the success of their marketing campaigns, particularly monthly specials.  The problem: they just don’t do it!  Data suggests ‘Specials’ is the most clicked on link on a dealership website.  Car Dealers simply cannot afford to ignore their specials.

Make sure your website provider offers a solution that is not only user-friendly, but also allows changes to be made very quickly, in some cases just a few seconds.  This…

Did you watch some of the Olympics or hear news reports from the games? The Olympics are always fascinating for two reasons: The performances are amazing, and the back stories for each and every Olympian are just as amazing, if not more so. My question for you is, are you an Olympian?

One definition of an Olympian, of course, is someone who competes in the games. Other parts of the definition can be:

• Majestic in manner

• Superior to mundane…

The goal for this project is to help ourselves, and others recognize the importance of knowing our unique offerings; strengths, values and characteristics. To create awareness with regard to (ROI) return on involvement when we choose to "differentiate" ourselves in business and community. To learn how to embrace the…