How to Master the Art of Online Conversation
Much like the printing press during the European Renaissance, the Internet has transformed the way we interact forever. “Googling” is now a verb synonymous with getting answers, we can communicate with people across the world in a matter of seconds and we can buy things without leaving the house. It’s a fast-moving, interactive digital world,
Pulling Together: Leadership and Employee Performance, Part 3
The potential for a new employee is practically limitless. Each new hire could be your dealership’s next superstar. Reality, however, soon kicks in and reveals the truth. Some new hires do indeed rock the lot and exceed expectations. Some, however, might not immediately live up to their potential or the hopes we had for them.
Success Story: First Team Chevy Becomes No. 1 in 2016
Leading the Hampton Roads Area with a New Strategy Located in Hampton, Virginia, Hampton Chevrolet is one of 12 stores in the First Team Auto Group.[…]
How You Can Take Care of Your Internet Leads the Smart Way
Sales leads are the lifeblood of the automotive industry – after all, it’s tough to sell your cars without having people to sell them to. So it’s important that auto dealerships are working as effectively as possible to leverage their sales leads. But are they? That’s the question the 2016 Automotive Sales Effectiveness Report on
Transparent Digital Retail is a Win for Dealerships and Customers
Consumer apprehension toward car dealerships likely goes back to the first sale from a dealer. It’s no surprise that people joke that they would rather go to the dentist than the dealership. Salespeople in any industry are met with a touch of skepticism by consumers. For auto salespeople, however, this skepticism has evolved into an
Don’t Let the Modern Gold Rush Take Down Your Business
Historians credit Sutter’s Mill, near present-day Sacramento, as the epicenter of the 1849 California Gold Rush. The mill’s owner, a German immigrant named John Sutter, owned 50,000 acres in the area when one of his employees discovered gold in the river near the mill. Though Sutter tried to keep the gold a secret, word
Use Social Media to Flood Your Dealership with Leads
Dealerships have a constantly expanding group of lead sources available to them today. With so many choices, it can be difficult to decide which to try. While considering lead sources, it is important to consider the cost per lead, lead volume and the quality of the leads. At the end of the day, it is
The ROI of Relationships: Get to Know Your Most Valuable Customers
Dealerships that identify their most valuable customers immediately set themselves up for success. They know there’s power behind the relationships they build with shoppers, and the more they interact, engage and improve the customer experience, the more loyalty and trust they’ll gain. Relationships take work. In fact, building relationships can sometimes seem like a lot
The Theory of Five: The Five Mentors Who Will Improve Your Prosperity
Learning what to focus on and how to achieve your goals is key to your personal and professional development. I believe in “The Theory of Five,” which has supported my focus on health, happiness, prosperity and continuous improvement since I was 22 years old — because it shapes how I think and who I chose
Cut Through the Noise with Omni Channel Marketing
From the moment you open your eyes until the second you turn off your phone and lay your head down to sleep, there are a multitude of companies competing for your mind and dollar space. You’re bombarded by persuasive imagery and language produced at a rapid rate and output — all designed to prompt a
GM’s are Finding Hidden Revenue in Recon and You Can, Too
It is becoming increasingly critical that dealership operators recognize how reconditioning practices affect bottom line profitability. Unstructured and unmonitored recon practices create waste and costs that erode used car gross. On the other hand, GMs will transform their recon operations into profit centers when they use a time-based, continuous improvement strategy to drive this critical
Do Your Homework Before Choosing a Business Partner
I know this will come out after the big show but, as I’m writing this article, I’m sitting on the plane traveling to NADA right now. As I do, I’m overhearing a couple of dealers in the row behind me talk about the vendors they have appointments to see during the convention and what solutions