On Thursday, December 6th, ActivEngage received the first ever Inc. Magazine Hire Power Award. ActivEngage CEO, Todd Smith, was present in Washington D.C. to accept this award that recognizes private U.S. companies which are continuously creating jobs for Americans.

The title has published the country’s fastest…

The auto industry for as long as I can remember has been a business where many managers seem to constantly try and destroy their sales people physically as well as mentally.  Just the other day I heard several managers talking to several of their sales people using phrases like:, "Well, if you can't do it, I'll find someone who can...", "Why aren't YOU selling more cars...", "What's wrong with YOU today....", Why don't YOU....", "Well, when I was selling cars I never had that problem and if…

Let there be absolutely, positively no mistake here. "Tags" have completely different uses depending on the platform on which they're used. We're going to take a look at three of the most popular platforms and how tags affect them: Wordpress,…

What was yours like?

I started selling cars in the summer of 1974 at a single point Plymouth Dealership in Canton Ohio, Canton Plymouth. We advertised as the “World’s Largest Exclusive Plymouth Dealership”,which probably was true due to the fact there were at that…

Everyday managers walk into their dealerships in the morning and start their day with tasks or TO-Do list items. Unfortunately, those items rarely involve direct interaction with their sales team. The ultimate place for managers to be is in front of customers and salespeople.

Salespeople need interaction and input. If a manager allows a salesperson to direct their own day by their own design without input and coaching, the results will often be lackluster and will lead to…

Last month, Mark Cuban posted that the Maverick’s would be limiting their involvement on Facebook because of how much they were charging for post visibility.  Like many, I began to notice several weeks ago that my messages weren’t having the same reach they once did. In an attempt not to overwhelm users with marketing messages and at the same time figure out a way to get money from marketers, Facebook changed their algorithm and simultaneously…

Even if your party did not win the White House a few weeks ago, you are still relieved, I would guess, that the election is finally over. Whether you are pleased or disappointed with the results, it is time to move on. After all, in about 30 days our country will be stepping right up to the edge of the fiscal cliff, ready to fall off into an economic nightmare in 2013. And that will surely happen, economists tell us, unless these politicians--many of whom we just (re)elected–-can reach…

5 Things You Should Know Before Calling a Dealership

Your first phone call to a dealership can make or break your car deal. Knowing how to buy a car starts with being prepared, as good preparation is just as much if not more important than the dealership you are calling. When you call a dealership for the first time you need to act and be an informed buyer. The more…

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I feel that being imitated means the imitator lacks the creativity to come up with ideas on their own.

Virtual Sales Associates (VSA’s) has become a popular title in the chat industry lately. ActivEngage coined this term in 2007 and now other chat…

http://kodyclemmonsauto.com/buying-a-new-car-should-be-fun/

We all know that Google is a powerhouse, but in the past they have been a fairly reasonable one. For all the brawn they possess, they let people get away with a lot of activities that are probably technically infractions. This is what makes it so shocking when they truly bring their guns to bear. It’s their right though, and their newest issued penalty may have…

An arrogant person demands that others behave in the manner he wishes. This frequently causes resentment, especially if others perceive his demands as arbitrary and unreasonable.

A person with humility gets along well with others because he is flexible and considerate of others. He will not push people around just for the sake of feeling power and authority. Being with him is a pleasurable experience.

Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

Newsletter December 2012

Are You Willing To Change?

                        This month’s newsletter is different in that it will relate to your everyday life including life at the dealership. Many people use this time of year to set resolutions for improvement in next year’s results. My personal viewpoint is that without a firm…

SureSale Marketplace offers dealers free express listings of eligible to-be-certified inventory; turnkey process exposes dealership inventory to certified shoppers in minutes

Venice, CA – December 11, 2012 – SureSale, the certified pre-owned marketing program that is changing the way used vehicles are bought and sold, today launched the nation’s first dedicated certified…

It took listening to my own words in a Twitter conversation for me to realize that I had barely brushed over the most important aspect finding the right times to post on social media for business.

This is Part IV of the series on timing. Please read…

The year is coming to a close and the used car business has had two of its best years. Dealers who want to continue to reap the benefits of this trend in 2013 are developing sales and marketing efforts around women, as they are now consuming $300 billion at new car dealerships. These sever topics should be a part of every sales discussion:

1. CPO Cars Lower The Risks Of Buying A Used Car & Avoid New Car Depreciation

When it comes to car buying, women…

As we look forward to the coming year, I believe there will be five key challenges that confront every dealer in their used vehicle operations.

Challenge 1: Creating a vehicle segment-specific investment strategy. This means regarding each segment of vehicles (e.g., compact cars, SUVs, vans, etc.) as distinct classes of investment opportunities, and managing them as an investment manager would a client’s portfolio.

Challenge 2: Lower cost sourcing of vehicles.…

What matters most to your car shoppers? Is it price? Depth of inventory? Maybe – but the Internet has nearly commoditized the auto business. Savvy customers will be able to find the car they want at the lowest price within a few seconds of searching. So where is the competitive edge that draws a buyer to one dealership but not another?

To find the answer, let’s try and…

Pinterest is doing a lot right. They know they aren’t the first social network on the block and they aren’t trying to pretend they are. Instead, they’re deliberately studying Facebook and Twitter and implementing similar successful policies. This is great news for Pinterest users, and if you can keep up, it will be great news for your …