In today’s economic environment the division between success and failure is as clear as it’s ever been. Having the right people, processes and products are essential for a dealership to be competitive. Being a single-point, family-owned business is no longer a unique proposition for consumers in today’s automotive climate. To stand apart from its competition, a…

Facebook Fan Pages are changing on March 30th - get prepared!

1. Start with your cover

Your cover photo is the first thing people will see when they visit your Page. The new Fan page resembles the recently launched Personal page “timeline” look.  Choose a unique photo and change it as often as you like. A horizontal image will work best.  Pick a unique photo to feature at the top of your Page timeline.  Note: This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or…

It takes one tree with a purpose to begin a forest; with purpose, one tiny seed, mixed with the right conditions, can spring forth a magnificent tree. As a tree stretches upwards, it also stretches outward with its mighty branches dropping seeds of opportunity onto the fertile ground below. It takes time, along with the correct mixture of seed, soil, and sunshine to…

Authenticity refers to truthfulness, character, integrity, commitments kept, sincerity, devotion, and upright intentions to help others.

Early Adaptors, those desiring to be ahead of the curve who want it now, not after everyone else is doing it, lead the way in a new movement towards "CPR the Heart of Business."  This CPR will surely revive and thrive the "Heart" of one's individual business, while doing the same for the entire business. …

Auto dealers eager to boost website conversion and Internet leads are increasingly using dealer …

by Kathryn Carlson

Who made the cut for the top car dealerships in the US? The female consumer has spoken and out of 1300 dealerships in the United States receiving reviews, the Top 10 Certified Women-Drivers Friendly™ Dealers are in. The Certificate acknowledges the positive, consistent and respectful experiences women had at these dealerships in 2011. Women-Drivers.com hereby awards the following dealerships Certified Women-Drivers Friendly Dealer of the Year.

Wright…

Most times, Google will make changes to their algorithm that either largely go unnoticed (meaning they only affect niche sites) or unannounced (your site will see SERP changes but won't necessarily know why).  On Tuesday, Google announced 40 changes to search quality they have made over the past month or so.

While many of these changes are pretty high level,…

‘As Is’ – two words that can cover a multitude of vehicle sins and serve to instantly put the buyer on the alert. The time has come to send ‘As Is’ to the scrap heap and switch the tone at the used car dealership from ‘Buyer Beware’ to ‘Buyer Be Sure’ so that dealers can sell with more confidence, move vehicles faster – and at greater value – and so that consumers can buy with peace of mind.





Not so long ago, ‘As Is’ was just the way it was for the used car dealer and the used…

Fearful of the Boogie Man, my 4 year old daughter asked me to escort her into the garage so she could get a soda. As we approached the door leading into the garage, I opened the door and stopped. Sensing I was still with her, she opted not to turn on the garage light and waded into the darkness in search of the refrigerator. Once she realized I was not with her, she…

How can some woman writer for fortune magazine use Becky Quick's poor sales expierence as a main story??? Ms. quick's quote several times of her past expierence as a waitress and smiling to everyone at a table in comparison to someone selling cars is no comparison what's so ever. Ive had poor service by waiters and waitresses yet that doesnt put all waiters in that basket. the same holds true for auto salespeople. The sad story that the poor writer fails to address…

Carfax has a very unique business model.  Tell the consumer they need to ask for a “free” Carfax report from their dealer (who then pays a hefty fee).  The exclusivity…

ROI is for Losers

Now that I have your attention, let's down play this a little. ROI isn't ALWAYS important!

Are you so focused on ROI that you fail to see the “good will” benefits of your actions?

Not everything in life and dealerships is based on the return. I…

In today’s durable goods market there are two main factors other than the product itself that will ultimately influence the consumer’s purchase decision, regardless of the type of product. These two factors are quality of service and customer satisfaction. Turning the consumer from a potential customer to a loyal customer is a complex process. The business through…

That Negative Review Can Bite Into Your SEO

 By: Brent Albrecht, SOCIALDEALER

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a staple in the majority of automotive dealers’ marketing budgets for 2012. The industry has fully embraced the Internet, so logically dealers are investing additional money in search engine rankings to get their websites seen as much as possible.  However, Social Media and Web 2.0 have changed the landscape, specifically in the way sites like Google…

Facebook has changed how Dealers brand pages are displayed.

Automotive Dealers checking their Facebook pages today may have noticed that Facebook has launched timeline for brand pages. Dealers have until March 30^th to update their format to fit into the timeline layout.

Coinciding with this update, there are a few features that will no longer be available.

Landing tabs have been very popular, and used to introduce by dealers to promote their…