Finally, the long-awaited Apple Watch is available for preorder with initial deliveries on April 24^th. Interestingly, for the first time, Apple has chosen to display their new products with stunning 360º displays. …

Most of us know the value of online content, and so many who are not trained writers or editors are straying into the area of blog posting and sharing of others' Web content. Much of it is informational and shared by industry experts, which helps us all.

Some, however, are doing so in a way that violates others' rights and might even land them in court. A professional writer / author / blogger friend of mine was recently the victim of this, with his work not only reprinted without…

There’s an old story about two close friends who every weekend used to go out into the mountains near where they lived and hike trails and paths that weaved through the forest on the sides of the mountains.  They had done this for many years and it was a part of the week that they both looked forward to with great anticipation.  It was a great time for camaraderie and exercise, and an important part of their health regimen for staying in shape.

 One day,…

Here is an example of a Dealership's Value Package Proposition (Why Buy From Us). It is essential that a dealership clearly articulate "WHY" someone should buy from their store. Price is PNLY relevant with the absence of value.

Dealer Synergy's Video Production team created RK's VPP.

Breaking routines can be difficult but change can yield long term results. On this week's Hard Facts, Samantha explains why pressing the time clock should not always be priority.

While the Internet changed how a dealer sells cars and how a customer shops for a car, the smartphone has completely revolutionized the car shopping and ownership experience.   Customers are empowered with information and options in the palm of their hands.  Dealers however, are also empowered with more targeted methods of attracting new customers and selling more vehicles.     

 …

Welcome to this week's edition of Black Book Market Insights, with in-depth analysis of used car and truck valuation trends and insights straight from the auction lanes. Click here to download the full report.

 

In this week’s report, the Black Book editorial team identifies a continuation of strength, particularly for smaller car segments. Compact Cars (+0.52%), Entry-Level Cars (+0.45%) and Entry Mid-Size Cars (+0.15%)…

At the end of March, Amazon announced the launch of what they’re calling “Amazon Home Services.” This new service by Amazon enables customers to order services for their homes without the inconvenience of having to search for these service providers, obtain references and obtain pricing. Services range from television installation, painting contractors, electrical work and……

If the only place you’ve ever worked is for one of America’s car dealerships, then you may not be aware that other industries don’t reward those who steal from their coworkers. Only dealership employees enjoy the added perk of being rewarded for cheating each other at will.

We call it skating; and it works like this:

A prospect I assisted a few days ago (and properly entered into the CRM) arrives at the dealership while I’m at lunch. He asks for me, though one of my…

How To Persuade More Customers

So you’re a salesperson in the car industry… You sell cars for a living… You sell…



But have you ever thought to look at the definition of the word “selling”?

Salespeople seem to fall in to one of two classifications – worriers or warriors. There are some scattered between these two extremes but most would be categorized as one or the other.

Worriers are always worried about where the next sale is going to come from. They congregate near the front door, keeping an eye out for the next prospective customer. Usually,…

Those of a certain age will recognize the title as a take-off of a folk song written by Pete Seeger. It was one of the most recorded songs of the early 60’s; appearing on albums by Peter, Paul & Mary, The Kingston Trio, Bobby Darin, Roy Orbison, The Four Seasons, and Joan Baez, among others. It was considered one of the most influential political songs of its time as it…

Make them important

Many managers make the mistake of thinking that they need to personally perform any task that is considered important. Some actually consider this a form of job security to be the only person able to perform an important task. In fact I believe it's exactly the…

On this week's Think Tank Tuesday:

• What colors convert at the highest rates?
• Which terms don't make sense to consumers?
• Will using a buy price convert better than using a monthly payment? 

Social media can be somewhat of a battlefield, and, to some degree, companies are being attacked from all sides. On the one side, there’s a battle being waged with social media platforms as they attempt to monetize themselves by reducing the organic reach in an effort to make businesses pay for exposure. On the other side, companies fight for eyeballs with the content they pay for posting. 

However, the content that most social media users really care about is user-generated content.…

Many dealers struggle with “should we get a responsive website or an app?”  Or “If I have a responsive website do I really need an app?” Some website companies will say all that is needed is a responsive website.  Dealers, the short answer is you should have both.  However, given the choice native apps is what your customers really want. 

Here is some proof:

• 89% of mobile usage is done through apps 
• People download 100 Million apps per…

Being a Winner often involves taking chances and occasionally means stepping out where others are not willing to go.  Yet, central to your attitude in life, is a belief in one’s self.  Winners have confidence and believe they have as much right to succeed as anyone else.  They don’t look for it to be handed to them for free, but they do expect to achieve…

The average woman visits 30% more stores than men when car buying. Dealers that have a high WSI “shopping” score convert on average 15% more browsers to buyers. Women perceive these stores as more trustworthy and comfortable places to do business with and go there first. That is ROI.…

Internet Marketing – Why Content Matters

Blame Google, a panda and a penguin, and your mother-in-law if you want. But the fact is this...Good Solid Content has become king.

'Panda' became the codeword for the changes in their ranking algorithms by which they ranked sites using texts and…

When is too much follow up? When do you stop calling that customer?

This is something that’s been debated for many years. When I started selling cars, I was told the 3 Strike Rule…Once you’ve made three follow up phone calls that haven’t returned, you cross them out and move on to the next one. But others think, follow up, follow up, and follow up until they tell you to rack off… So which one is it? …