A Division of IPD
VOL. 8 | ISSUE 6 | JUNE 2015
Mat Koenig & Tim Bartholomew are HERE to tell you....
Hispanics are HOT and they can HOOK YOU UP!
Why
THE PHONE Is Still
MORE POWERFUL than the
Internet and Social Media,
COMBINED. PG: 12
BRING BACK PRIDE PG: 15
PERSONAL BRANDING why it Makes Sense PG: 17
Make the INVESTMENT the ROI is
WORTH IT. PG: 22
This is not your typical “Direct mail.”
WELCOME TO THE EVOLUTION! Systematic | Modern Day | Lead Conversion Credit App Generating Marketing Machine
www.ipdmail.com/evolution 813.630.5888 x512
DW IPD
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DW IPD ad March 2015.indd 1
3/3/15 5:07 PM
C O N T E N T S Publisher Michael Oquendo Editor-in-Chief David Villa Creative Director Austin Janowsky Marketing Director Heath Panganiban Advertising Director Chris Fritcher Editor Josh Fontaine Editor Michael Cherup
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Featured In This Issue... Articles 6. Hispanics Are HOT And They Can HOOK YOU UP!!! By Mat Koenig 10. It’s Evolution, Not Revolution By Clint Burns 11. Customers Sold Separately By David Cribbs 12. Why the Phone Is Still More Powerful Than The Internet And Social Media, Combined. By Grant Cardone 15. Bring Back PRIDE By Jeff Cowan 17. Personal Branding -- Why It Makes Sense By Laura Madison 18. 5 Things To Freshen Up Your Dealership’s Marketing For Summer By Frank J Lopes 20. How To Lead By Personal Example By David Anderson
22.
Make The Investment - The ROI Is Worth It.
By David Villa
25. Hannibal The DMS Cannibal By Don O’Neill 26. 3 Reasons Why Your Dealership Needs To Be MOBILE By Zach Klempf 26. Speed Of The Boss, Speed Of The Crew! By Mark Tewart Contributing Authors Mat Koenig Clint Burns David Cribbs Grant Cardone Jeff Cowan Laura Madison Frank J Lopes David Anderson David Villa Don O’Neill Zach Klempf Mark Tewart
Copyright ©2015 all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited unless expressly authorized by editor or publisher. The views expressed in the articles or advertisements are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the magazine or its staff. Editorial inquiries, questions or comments can be made to the Editor-In-Chief at moquendo@ipdmail.com Advertising Sales: Please call 813-630-5888 ext 523 or 561 or email moquendo@ipdmail.com
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5
Hispanics are HOT
and
THEY CAN
HOOK YOU UP!! By Mat Koenig
At just about every automotive industry event and conference this year, Hispanic car buyers have been the hot topic for Dealers and with good reason. At 55 Million strong, U.S. Hispanics are expected to account for 18% of all new vehicle sales this year but most Car Dealers are struggling to make a connection. Then, out of the blue, two guys from Michigan have introduced something that is changing the entire automotive industry, for the better! We sat down with Mat Koenig and Tim Bartholomew, founding partners of Buscador de Auto, to find out why they went all in to help Dealers finally connect with Latino car buyers. IPD: Ok guys, let’s pull out the stops right away. Hispanics aren’t new to America so why now? Why should Dealers care any more today than they did last year or 5 years ago? Mat: The reason people are paying attention now is because the audience has grown to a point where people can see profit potential. We started working on a solution for helping dealers connect with Latino buyers more than two years ago. My past experience with other large vendors helped us learn from their missteps so that we could really create a product that makes customers and dealers happy. Tim: Once we looked at the data we knew that Dealers couldn’t ignore this audience. We’re talking about 1 in 5 new car sales this year and a group of people that are really relationship oriented. Dealers say they want more repeat and referral business but they’ve been ignoring one of the most loyal audiences in the Country so we’ve opened a new driveway into their dealership.
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IPD: So what is Buscador de Auto exactly? Mat: It’s not rocket science guys. But we are the ONLY site in the Country that gives Dealers the ability to list their entire inventory in Spanish. While other sites that call themselves “gurus” do a half-ass job for dealers by translating buttons and menus, we knew this wouldn’t be a quality experience for shoppers. Dealers who connect with us actually get full on Spanish translation for our site. We translate all of the vehicle comments as well as the options and standard equipment so that buyers who prefer Spanish will actually see that your dealership cares about serving them. Plus, with that much true Spanish text on site, it helps your dealership inventory finally have a presence in organic search on Google IPD: Can’t anybody just put a translate button on their website though?
Tim: They can but it won’t help them get any visibility in organic search. Browser level translation like those buttons on a website will help someone be able to see your site in Spanish but there’s a problem: nobody knows that your site exists because when they search in Spanish, your site doesn’t show up at all. The reason for that is simple: you don’t have any actual Spanish text on your site, it’s being translated only at the moment they see it so unfortunately the search engines don’t have any Spanish text to index. On the flip side, our site is Spanish so it delivers answers to the questions that Spanish speaking car buyers are asking. Mat: We also have some kick ass features that Dealers can’t get from any other classified site and I think that’s what many of our Dealers love the most. When someone calls the phone numbers we provide they ONLY ring the Spanish speaking sales people at the Dealership. We incorporate text message coupons in Spanish so that shoppers can check a Dealer’s specials 24/7 and we actually capture mobile numbers from shoppers to give dealers more quality opportunities. IPD: A few months ago Mat, you were one of the Keynote speakers at Digital Dealer 18 in Tampa, Florida. What are some of the key things that Dealers took home from that event?
Mat: There are four keys that every Dealership needs to understand. Number 1, Hispanics are digital. The days of wasting money on that crummy gas station magazine in Spanish are long gone. Number 2, Hispanics are mobile. They spend more time shopping on mobile devices than non-hispanic shoppers and that leads me to number 3. Hispanics consume more auto related video than any other demographic. They spend 54% more time watching online video and most of that is from mobile devices so Dealers really need to get a great Spanish video game plan put together. The fourth key, and the most important one, is that our business is still a people business and that transcends ethnicity. People want to feel like the place they’re doing business with will actually give a sh!t about them as a human being. If you run a bunch of Spanish ads but don’t have bi-lingual staff, or don’t have any of your paperwork in Spanish then it’s just going to feel like you’re putting on a show. It starts with caring about people and letting that drive the rest of your decision. IPD: In the past few months there have been 3 articles about Hispanic car buyers in Automotive News and every one of them has had a reference to your company. Why is it that nobody is talking about Cars.com AutoTrader, or CarGurus? Aren’t these guys offering up their sites in Spanish too? CON’t on pg 8.
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Tim: Nobody is talking about them because they’re not actually doing anything worth talking about. CarGurus came to our booth at Driving Sales Executive Summit last year when we announced that our site was coming. A few weeks later they translated all of their buttons and menus in to Spanish. Big deal. The other big guys did the same thing a few months later. I think that the automotive community knows that the big named vendors aren’t necessarily looking to create a better experience for the dealership or the buyer. They’re just jumping on the bandwagon so they can look for a way to justify the huge monthly fees they’re charging Dealers. IPD: With so many Dealers complaining about sites like Cars, Edmunds, Trader and CarGurus using their inventory to compete with them, why would they want to put their cars on another classified site? Mat: Because we aren’t competing with our Dealers. 99 out of 100 dealerships do not have their website in Spanish. That means they don’t exist in Google organic search. When they list with us, they are opening a new driveway into their dealership that they didn’t have before. As a matter of fact, we are the only online classified site that doesn’t compete with Dealers. IPD: So why wouldn’t a Dealer just duplicate their website in Spanish? Mat: Eventually most of them will. Right now though the cost can be prohibitive for a lot of Dealers. Doing a complete website could cost $20,000 to $50,000 to build out plus a few thousand a month to maintain when taking into account additional hosting and translation fees.
a realistic mindset for the amount of time it will take to create a presence. You can’t just throw your cars online and expect people to care about you immediately. People need to see consistent messaging to know that you’re not just there for them this week but that you’ll actually be there for them in three months, six months and twelve months from now. Once people see that you care, and if your marketing is on a great site like ours, the customers will come.
That’s why we suggest using simple math to decide how much of your ad budget should be aimed at Hispanic marketing. If you have 15% of your population that’s Hispanic, you should be investing 15% of your ad budget to reach them. A site like Buscador de Auto is only $799 a month for Dealers so it offers an affordable way to begin the journey toward serving the Hispanic community.
IPD: Where can people get more information about reaching Hispanic buyers?
IPD: Have you had any interest from the OEMs?
IPD: If you guys could say one last thing to Dealers who are considering Spanish advertising what would you say?
Tim: Mat just got back from speaking to the San Francisco region Toyota Dealers at Toyota Learning Labs in California and was invited back to speak for their Nevada region in October. It seems like Toyota has really been focused on creating a conversation with Latino shoppers. That said, we think every OEM should list their new vehicles and Certified Pre-Owned vehicles on Buscador de Auto. If the OEM wants their Dealers to care about reaching U.S. Hispanics, they should lead by example. IPD: If a Dealer wants to get committed to growing their presence with local Hispanic buyers how do they get started? Tim: First, they need to have the staff in place to serve the customer. This is where a lot of Dealers get hung up because they don’t want to hire someone before they have the audience but it really is the first step. The next thing you have to do is have
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Mat: They can go to www.konig.co/spanish to get more information or they can text the word SPANISH to the phone number 76626 to receive a special offer for Buscador de Auto. Standard text and data rates apply of course.
Tim: Make a decision and take action. You don’t want to wait until these buyers make a purchase from one of your competitors and establish a relationship with them. Mat: Hispanic buyers are relationship driven and at Buscador de Auto we help Dealers connect with local buyers. Mat Koenig & Tim Bartholomew are the owners at Buscador de Auto. For specific questions contact Mat via twitter - @KonigCo or by e-mail either of them at Mat@dealersolutions.info or Tim@dealersolutions.info
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There are 2 basic truths to consider when learning to embrace change:
It’s
Evolution Not Revolution By Clint Burns The biggest problem with “revolution” of the customer experience for some dealers is the frustration of consistently being pushed to abandon what already works. Especially when dealers feel that customers want them to sacrifice their profits, while also ensuring that the customer has absolutely none of their time wasted. Whether the issue stems solely from a fear of the unfamiliar, or the disbelief that this new process is actually better than its predecessors, there are always those that take issue with revolution. It’s understandable. The problem is that this fear is built around a gross misconception. It is crucial to understand that most of the change taking place today is an evolution, not a revolution. Evolution is nothing more than the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. The key is “gradual.” Experiencing gradual change is something that should be happening to your business if you’re growing anyway, so unless you stop growing you should never find yourself “behind the times.” This is especially true in context of the evolving customer experience at dealerships right now. What is happening with today’s customer experience is clearly an evolution, not some drastic revolution designed to overthrow the tried-and-true best practices of the industry. Customers visit fewer dealerships and shop online. So? Go meet them where they are, is that any different from going to meet a customer on the lot? People expect things to be done more quickly. Again, nothing a professional with good time management can’t handle. The only real change for dealers in the evolution of the modern customer experience is time. Time has become increasingly more valuable as it becomes less available, and it is certainly less available for most consumers today. The idea that “buyers are liars,” or that customer expectations are unreasonable has become an obvious excuse for having a poor customer experience. There is no room for procrastination with the new car buyers reaching out to you right now. The good news is that there are no abrupt changes that must be made to accommodate the new car buyers that are demanding change. Let’s not reinvent the wheel. 10
1. “Whether you’re 9 or 90, stop trying to fix the things you’re bad at, and focus on the things you’re good at.” – Gary Vaynerchuk Bet on your strengths; that’s advice that plenty of us need to be reminded of from time to time. Too many times we end up focusing on how to fix ourselves to fix our processes. We focus on our lack of skill using a certain tool, our inability to effectively self promote, or our lack of knowledge and expertise. Who cares about your weaknesses? You will never be the best at everything, so focus on what you are good at and let others handle the rest. The key is learning to work with others so that you have people around you willing to fill in the gaps when necessary. 2. “Just because most don’t make it doesn’t mean you can’t” – Grant Cardone Now, some people don’t bet on their strengths because it’s easier to focus on their weaknesses. Why? Because weaknesses are your excuses. They’re all the reasons you can’t accomplish anything lasting. If you focus on your strengths, then you’re giving yourself the chance to succeed. The one big reason people would rather not give themselves a chance to succeed is they don’t believe they will truly be able beat the odds. Of course, constant comparison to the competition fuels that belief. Let’s not limit ourselves to what our competition can do. If you’re truly betting on your strengths, then what need is there to compare yourself to anyone else? Comparing only makes you lose focus. After all, there’s no way to focus entirely on building up your strengths when you’re busy looking at what everyone else is doing. You need to think of preparing for evolving your customer experience in the same way that an athlete trains for the biggest game of their life. They’re not at the gym checking out everyone else’s routine, they have one that works for them. Perhaps they had some outside influencers at first, but now the exercise is entirely unique. When you bet on your strengths you will naturally create a unique approach to doing business that works for you. When you focus on building your own strength, you’ll find yourself evolving with the times. Nothing will seem revolutionary to you then, it will all be gradual changes that are easy to understand. It just takes consistent development to be the best. Clint Burns is the CEO/Chairman of theNextUp. For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@TheNextUp or by e-mail at clint@dealersolutions.info.
Customers Sold Separately
By David Cribbs
So, what is the one thing that I could possibly impart to salespeople that would prove to be a game changer? The good news is that I have the answer. And just imagine, you happen to be reading the very article that changes everything. You may want to take a moment just to revel in that fact. Or maybe, you should start thinking about where you will frame and hang this masterpiece. I certainly anticipate a flood of social media sharing that will rival the viral. But along with the revelation comes the confession. You see, for years I have been cheating. I have been stacking the deck even prior to the customer arriving at the store. It started years ago when one of the greatest sales trainers in the business said to me “son, you’re selling to a passing parade.” In other words, you are selling one customer at a time and the next one hasn’t seen your show. Needless to say, it did not take long for my dark side to take over. Once I internalized this fact I began to stack the deck in my favor. I began doing things like investing in training seminars, reading sales books, and even role playing. My show was improving. Soon, my sales process became second nature. Although never perfected, it just got better and better. The odds were shifting in my direction. Imagine walking into the casino knowing the odds are in your favor. Once I gained this unfair advantage I could not give it up. I was so committed to this ace in the hole that no matter what a customer said I stuck to my proven process and led them fluidly to the next step. The better that I executed unencumbered by the facts, the more success I experienced. The best part was that my customers were simultaneously reaping the rewards. As it turned out adhering to the process without exception proved to benefit the customer even more than me. So, why the confession in this victimless crime? Because, ultimately there was and continues to be collateral damage. Without this unfair advantage salespeople either fail or just survive while way too often turning buyers in to shoppers and tainting their experience. Finally, I can walk away with a clear conscience having exposed my devious activities publicly. My name is Dave and I’m a closer by default! David Cribbs is Lead Trainer at IPD. For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@DeskingDeals or by e-mail at davidc@dealersolutions.info.
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Why
THE PHONE Is Still
MORE POWERFUL than the Internet and Social Media,
COMBINED. By Grant Cardone
In the automotive world your connections to people are everything. The Internet connects everyone on this planet instantaneously. Social media like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn are being used multiple times a day to catch up on the latest news, find out what your friends are doing, get attention and to market yourself. Yet there exists one device more powerful than all of that—the phone. The phone is more powerful than all of these other technological developments. The phone is money. And every person has one. In fact, there are more cell phones on the planet than people, with an estimated 7.8 billion devices! In the USA alone there are just under one trillion phone calls per year! Think about it. You spend more time with your phone than any other device, and you keep it closer to you than even your kids. The same holds true for your prospects that can help you take your business and your sales to the next level. Before you dismiss this all as obvious, consider that 65% of adults even sleep with their phones nearby! And think about how much time you already spend on the phone calling prospects, following-up, generating leads, and most importantly answering inbound calls. The phone is a powerful business weapon, whether it’s for making contacts with customers or making cold calls to get new customers. The phone is integral to your success in the auto industry and for a number of reasons most people are terrible at using it, or worse, they avoid a phone call and shoot out an email instead. In fact, Salesforce suggests that 92% of all customers use the phone before making a purchase and 85% claim to be dissatisfied with the interaction. 12
You may have been led to believe that you couldn’t sell cars over the phone—Which isn’t true, of course. Being in front of someone is most effective, but it’s very expensive and can cost as much as 8X more than a call. In addition, it’s almost impossible to scale out face-toface meetings because of the time they take. The goal is to get as many people in front of you at the dealership so you can get them in a vehicle. You cannot keep your pipeline full without using the phone to get people in the door. Calls are immediate and powerful if you can get the right person on the phone and know how to use that time effectively. According to Pew Research over 46% of adults only have cell phones and no longer use a home or office phone. Combine that with the fact that over 50% of e-Commerce traffic comes from mobile devices and it’s clear that the future of connecting with people directly is over the phone, especially in the business world. At the age of 26 I was shown how to use the telephone to effectively qualify leads, reduce time spent pitching new prospects, determine decision makers, and to keep my pipeline full with appointments. After getting just the introduction to proper phone use my income immediately doubled; I went from making $3,500 per month to over $8,000. Here are 3 tips on how to handle phone calls properly and help you increase your auto sales immediately.
1. WORDS MATTER.
One wrong word on the phone can blow your chance. You can no longer say things like, “I hope I’m not bothering you…”
2. TIME IS A KILLER.
You cannot spend time on small talk with prospects. That’s the old-school mentality—you must get in and get out. You may only have 2 minutes to get an appointment, find out who the decision-maker is and find out their needs. Use your time effectively.
3. VOICE INFLECTION AND TONE.
It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. There are ways to say things so that a customer never forgets you and your pitch—they are called hooks and tone control. Other than your commitment and attitude about success, the telephone itself will be one of the single most important tools you use in building your brand, your company, and your revenues. I put together a webinar to show you how to make millions on the phone at www.millionsonthephone.com where I go in depth on the topic of phone sales, incoming calls, prospecting and follow-up. You will learn: • How to Handle Price on the Phone • How to Use Price to Fill Up Your Pipeline • How to Get Past the Gatekeeper • How to Create Urgency • How to Close on the Phone • How to Separate Yourself from the Competition • How to Qualify the Buyer Over the Phone • What to Never Say on the Phone • How to Increase Your Show Rate 500% • How to Increase Your Close Rate Over 200% • How to Use the Phone to Make Millions of Dollars • How to Follow-Up the Unclosed Buyer It’s amazing how changing just a few phrases on a phone call will keep a customer from shopping the competition, or how asking for an appointment with just a slight change in the inflection of my voice improved my show rate on appointments by 500%! It was like magic when changing my opening changed the buyer’s immediate impression, and how little urgency strategies could move a buyer from seeing me next week to wanting to see me today. You can access the webinar 24/7 on-demand, at www.millionsonthephone.com. Get the eBook, watch the webinar and hustle the phones so hard your pipeline will explode.
Grant Cardone is a Best Selling Author & CEO of Grant Cardone Enterprises. For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@grantcardone or by e-mail at grant@dealersolutions.info.
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Bring the best sales and management training in the automotive industry to your dealership and experience results immediately with the Tewart 24/7 Online Training Channel. This information is based upon real world application with hundreds of dealerships just like yours. This is not just theory or motivational jargon. Mark Tewart is the premier automotive sales, sales management and marketing expert in the automotive industry. Mark’s dealership clients experience record results and he has personally trained tons of salespeople to experience six figure incomes over many years and your staff can experience the same results. Mark is the author of the best seller “How To Be A Sales Superstar” and has been a featured speaker at NADA and many of the automotive industry conferences. ★ “After 16 years in the business, I can say this is the most impactful training I have ever had” – Jared A Giordiano, Sales ★ “Our dealership experienced a 42% increase year over year and the previous year was a record. Mark Tewart is simply the best in the industry, hands down.” Mark Ford, GM ★ ”Mark Tewart and his training changed my career” – Mike Correra (Mike The Car Guy), Manager ★ ”Mark Tewart showed me how to make a six figure income in the auto business and I have been doing it ever since” – Bob Wright, Manager
Go to www.tewartonlinetraining.com for a preview! Bonus! Take a quick free demo and receive Mark Tewart’s Phone Dynamics Workbook and CD Training Series!
Online Training Courses 888 283-9278 www.tewart.com | info@tewart.com 513-932-9526 14
Professional Speaker, Sales Expert, Automotive Industry Expert, Author and Consultant
It is no great revelation that the American workforce has experienced a significant shift in attitude over the last 20 years. Gone seems to be the pride of workmanship. Gone seems to be the pride in self-sufficiency. Gone seem to be the days of gratefulness. This all seems to have been replaced with a “what can you do for me” attitude. This is not just a generational attitude either. It has seeped into the very fabric of who we are and how we see ourselves. I am hearing and seeing it everywhere, from all ages and all generations. I encounter leaders who place the responsibility of success solely on their staffs and employees. They have a “you owe me” attitude – after all, they feel as though they have provided their employees with the opportunity to work. I see staffs and employees who feel their leaders and business owners owe them. After all, “I show up on time everyday and work my shift. Don’t you owe me a promotion, a better opportunity, or a raise?” This wrongheaded thinking and warped perspective has left us in a state of mediocrity. In no other area is it more evident than in the service side of the automotive business. Closing ratios and upsell penetration have been stagnating for over a decade. Undeterred, we keep waiting for the other guy - the dealer, the managers, or the employees - to deliver. We struggle with the “Quick Services” departments in which so many firms have invested. These departments’ delivery numbers lose money and would put them out of business were they an independent firm or a chain like Jiffy Lube. But still, we wait. We struggle with customer retention. Instead of creating fresh ideas to address these issues, we slap a fresh face on the same level of service, hoping for different results. We deceive ourselves with false justifications: “The dealer will figure it out; my manager will figure it out; if I pay my employees enough, then they can figure it out.” Simple solutions that take good old fashion elbow grease to execute get bypassed and ignored while waiting for the “other guy” to figure it out.
not only to succeed, but more importantly, to exceed. Here is how we are going to do it: Step 1. Stop waiting and blaming leaders, dealers, and managers. Pay close attention. Every time I meet with service advisors and their support staffs, I bring home the following message: Your leaders did their job. They secured the land, built the building and stocked it with many millions of dollars of inventory. Your leaders did their job. They then hired a sales staff, trained that staff to close deals and monitored their successes. Your leaders did their job. Your leaders then set up an F & I department and trained the F & I staff to sell accessories and extended warranties that would tie the customer to the service department. Your leaders did their job. Your leaders hired a service manager that developed a plan to get the customer in the door and the customer came. Your leaders did their job. But where I see leaders failing and continuing to fail is by stopping a few thousand dollars short and not training your service staff to succeed. We somehow believe that they will either figure it out for themselves or they will learn what they need from the existing staff by putting the employee through the most popular training class ever invented - the “follow him” routine. In one of the most critical areas of the equation, you fail. You fail your business, you fail your staff and you fail yourself. You allow a few thousand dollars and simple accountability to deny you the success that is right in front of you. You as the leader may have done your job in every other area, but you have failed, are failing, and continue to fail in this area. If you want your staff to be successful you must provide them with every essential tool they need to be successful and the main and most important tool you can give them is training in how to handle your customers.
Enough is enough. It is time to stop talking, hoping and blaming. It is time to step up and be the responsible person you need to be,
Jeff Cowan is the CEO of Pro Talk. For specific questions contact him via twitter - @JCowansProTalk or by e-mail at jeff@dealersolutions.info.
Bring Back PRIDE By Jeff Cowan
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Personal Branding
Why it Makes Sense
By Laura Madison
Selling cars in Japan looks very different than it does in the United States. Rather than waiting at the dealership for the next ‘up’, Japanese salespeople go door-to-door pitching new vehicles. When they find a prospective buyer, these face-to-face meetings continue in the home with few Japanese car buyers ever even setting foot in a showroom. Paperwork is drawn up and signed in their living rooms. Once the sale is complete, a relationship has begun that will last far beyond the delivery of a new vehicle. Salespeople maintain constant contact with sold clients by calling, writing handwritten cards, even taking their clients to dinner. What this demonstrates, I believe, and what the Japanese have remembered and we’ve forgotten is that commerce has always been personal. It has always been about people doing business with other people. This is where we have run into trouble in the digital world. We spend so much money on well-organized websites that taut the ability to build a car online and SEO to get people to these websites but what we’re missing is connection. We’re missing the most critical element of relationships. Consider for a moment what keeps a customer loyal. It’s not an oil change punch card or a fancy website; it’s relationship. It’s human-to-human connection. We NEED to re-humanize buying and selling in the automotive world. And we can start with a personal brand. How do we accomplish this human-to-human interaction with less people actually setting foot in our showroom? By encouraging sales people to create and maximize a personal brand. A personal brand allows salespeople to connect with customers using social media, video, blogging, and other powerful online mediums. Again, fewer customers are visiting showrooms today than ten years ago; they are all shopping and doing research online. You can use the blog on the dealership website or the dealership’s
YouTube channel to allow salespeople to get their face and some value out into this internet space. This creates a beautiful opportunity for these salespeople to capture the client’s attention, build a relationship with them, begin a connection, and ultimately drive them in your front door. Consider that otherwise, without the chance for this relationship to begin to form, we may never get the chance to earn these clients’ business, or see them walk through our front door at all. Imagine: a prospective customer reads a blog posted on the dealership’s website a salesperson wrote comparing your most popular vehicle model to its competitor. The salesman’s contact information is included at the bottom of this post with his photo. Appreciating the guidance, this prospective customer walks in the front door to the showroom asking specifically for this salesperson. You have begun to build a relationship. The principle of fierceness behind a personal brand is backed by science. Humans are born with a special part of the brain, called the fusiform area, whose sole purpose is to recognize faces. Located near the brain’s emotional center, this brain function makes us hard wired to use the human face as a centralized point for information and believability. So, in the case of faces, seeing is believing. To capitalize on human-to-human connection we do not need to revolutionize this industry or begin sending our salespeople doorto-door. We simply need to begin sharing our personal brands to build value in our organization, our product, and ourselves. Laura Madison is Director of Sales for Proactive Training Solutions.. For specific questions contact her via - twitter:@lauradrives or by e-mail at laura@dealersolutions.info.
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5
Things Things To To Freshen Freshen Up Up Your Your Dealership’ Dealership’ss Marketing Marketing For For Summer Summer By Frank J Lopes
It’s usually the spring season that brings about thoughts of “change” and “cleaning up”. But it seems as if we ran past the exercise of “spring cleaning” this year and got right back into selling mode as soon as we moved the snow shovels, snow brooms and rock salt to the back of the storage room. We’re all so happy to see live people in the showroom and on the lot that we’re not wondering about how many MORE people are out there still at home deciding where or when to buy. Or even more important, why the people on our competitor’s lots right now are not on ours!
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So the time is here and the time is NOW! It’s time to become truly self-aware and take a good hard look at ourselves through the eyes of our potential customers. To give you a start, here are FIVE TIPS TO HELP FRESHEN UP YOUR MARKETING THIS SUMMER:
1. Ramp Up Your Message This is where you should start, because if you haven’t anything valuable to say, you shouldn’t be saying anything at all (This is not just some cute line I came up with- I really believe this!) Customers are out there shopping for cars and after they decide what car to buy, the equally as complicated decision of who to buy it from arises. Your message should be centered around what makes your dealership valuable and unique. Besides you being a “swell guy” or the catchy and colorful urgent sale message you consistently scream on TV or Radio, why should a customer buy from you? Answer that with “price” and you’re now on a race to the bottom. Answer that with real benefits and features (No, free coffee and wi-fi are neither a benefit or feature) and you’re on your way! 2. Optimize Your Mobile Website We all know that more and more customers are constantly on their smartphoneswe don’t need another study or survey to confirm this. We know it ourselves by our own observation or by our own personal habits and rituals. I bet your own smartphone is consistently within arms length (I know mine is!) Grab your smartphone, go to your dealership’s mobile website and use it like a customer would. Can you easily read everything, including the words and pictures on the slide show? Can you call the dealership, view inventory, view specials, get directions and get service information with no more than 1 click or swipe from your home screen? If no, then its time to get on the phone and call either your marketing company, ad agency, marketing director or whomever handles your website and make that happen. And while you’re at it….
3. Be Sure Your Messages Match You wouldn’t think this one needs looking at because it’s really “Marketing 101” but I see this mistake being made every day! Its vital that your message matches everywhere! From your TV commercial to your search ads on Google to the home page of your website (including landing pages!). Everything needs to match. This takes true commitment and planning. You can’t accomplish this if you’re constantly changing messages, or even worse, you have no message at all!! Take a lesson here from big department stores, like Macy’s. You can’t get away from a Macy’s commercial on TV. But, when they run a “One Day Sale” or a “Friends & Family” promotion, the message is EVERYWHERE! On TV, on radio, on their website, in the store- their event becomes reality because the message is consistent! 4. Change Your Approach On Social Media What are people going to be doing while they are sitting on the beach, by the lake or in the park? They’re going to be on their smartphones catching up on social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So lets repeat the exercise from before: grab your smartphone, jump on Facebook and take a look at your News Feed. What posts caught your attention? I’ll bet they were the ones you found entertaining (pics of puppies or a funny video) or informative (news story on a topic that interests you). Did you stop at the blurry picture of two strangers shaking hands standing in front of a car? Nobody else did either. Change your approach and become a source of information and entertainment to your followers! A huge majority of them are already your customers so STOP TRYING TO SELL THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SOLD! Become valuable on these platforms by giving them what they are looking for and when the time comes, the referral or service visit will be yours.
5. Focus On Reviews Reviews tell your story in the voice trusted most by shoppers… your current customers. Set all of the above wheels in motion, then instruct your sales and service consultants to ask every customer to write a review of their experience. Have EVERY review answered- good or bad. Your current customers leaving reviews like “It was so easy to buy from XYZ Dealership” or “My Salesperson had me in and out in about an hour” make your message reality. Don’t think reviews matter? Your potential customers are checking reviews on line before they decide whether they are going to potentially grace you with the opportunity to earn their business or move along to your competitor. Incentivize your staff to ask customers for reviews by… yep, paying on them. Soon, your entire staff will be on board and you will be earning the greatest rewards. Just wait until a customer walks into your showroom with a print out from a review website asking to see a particular salesperson because of their reviews (This has actually happened many times- even to my own son who is currently a salesperson at a dealership.) These are just a few things you can do today to spruce things up a bit. But, they all start with you! Your commitment and seriousness to making forward change is necessary for these or any changes in your organization to take place. You may be thinking “I’m already on Facebook” or “We get plenty of reviews”; STOP PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK, re-read this and take another look around. Complacency will get you nowhere- not in your marketing, not in your business and surely not in your life. Frank J Lopes is President of Frank J Lopes Advertising. For specific questions contact him via twitter:@thefrankjlopes or by e-mail at frank@dealersolutions.info.
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By Dave Anderson
A quick way to lose credibility is with a leadership style that says “don’t do as I do, do as I say”. If you’ve ever wondered why your people haven’t bought into you like you think they should, or how to earn even greater buy-in I suggest that doing a better job of leading by example is a great place to begin. Following are nine places to focus on in this regard: BE TRUTHFUL. If “integrity” is one of your core values, but you instruct a receptionist to tell a caller you’re not in when you are, you’re a liar. You’ve also asked another to stoop to your level and lie. The next time you lecture your team on “doing the right thing” don’t let the rolled eyes, snickers or snorts surprise you. KEEP COMMITMENTS. Integrity is doing what you said you’d do, when you said you’d do it, and how you said you’d do it. When you fail to keep commitments most people don’t just forget and get over it. Rather, they doubt, distrust, or resent you; indefinitely. REMAIN TEACHABLE. This covers everything from reading books, to attending courses, to seeking out and listening to other’s feedback on how you and your business can improve. Becoming a “been there, done that” know-it-all is evidence of your complacency and a first step towards decline. Besides, you have no credibility to admonish your people to improve their skills, habits and attitude when you’ve stopped working on your own. PITCH IN. This doesn’t mean you micromanage, or leave your strength zone often or for long; it does include jumping in the trenches when the team needs help and getting your hands “dirty”: washing a car, sweeping a floor, shoveling snow or waiting on a customer. If you’ve gotten to a point where you believe certain jobs are beneath you, you’re an arrogant, entitled sloth, and I’d like to extend my sympathies to those suffering under your narcissistic reign of terror. DON’T WHINE. Whine is defined as “to snivel or complain in a self-pitying manner”. No one wants to hear what a tough job their leader has, or about his or her bad breaks. In fact, whining is a repellant; no one wants to listen to you or be around you. Whining makes you ordinary, boring and despicable; it makes those around you want to wrap your head in crime scene tape. Perhaps it’ll help to realize that everyone you’re whining to has their own problems, and ninety percent of them don’t care about your problems, while the other ten percent are happy you have them.
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ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. You don’t deserve credit for all that goes well in your area of leadership, nor do you deserve the blame for all that goes wrong. But you’re still responsible for the results of your position. When your people see you taking responsibility they’re more likely to do likewise. When they see you finger-point and hear you blame, you teach them to do the same. If you’re not willing to own your results then get out of leadership, because it comes with the territory. BE TOUGH-MINDED. Tough-mindedness doesn’t mean you’re a bully, disrespectful or harsh. It does mean you stand for something; that you’re strong willed, vigorous and not easily swayed. Tough-mindedness shows your team you won’t compromise your values and look the other way when a top performer violates them. They see you hiring slow, even when you’re desperate for coverage, because you know it’s better to be strategically short-staffed than foolishly filled up. On the other hand, followers consider a “leader” who doesn’t hold people accountable, or make the tough calls, as nothing more than a pretender with a title. They mock your tough talk when it’s followed by a wimp’s walk. You confuse the team because one day you stand for something and the next day you compromise with what’s right. SERVE PEOPLE. You serve others by setting clear expectations for them, giving them honest feedback, training and coaching them, empowering them with increased latitude and discretion, and by caring enough to confront them when they’re off track so they can right their course. Serving is about adding value to people, not waiting for them to add value to you. Serving requires strength because you subordinate your own ego and comfort to promote the welfare of others; you make it about the team, rather than about yourself. Frankly, serving requires you to get over yourself, and to realize that if you’re “lonely at the top” it’s because you’ve put yourself on a pedestal. DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENCY. You should start increasing consistency with the prior eight areas. When your team knows what to expect from you, and is clear about where you stand they initiate more confidently, make decisions faster and are empowered by their own sense of assurance that what they’re doing is correct and effective. This can only happen if your values and behaviors are consistent. Inconsistency in the prior eight areas confuses followers, stifles initiative, curtails creativity and demotes potentially committed stakeholders to compliant, driven stakes. Consistent is defined as “constantly adhering to the same principles”. Thus, consistency can actually work against you if your principles are corrupt or ineffective. By constantly adhering to the right principles you earn a reputation as being a leader with a level of competence and character that’s worth following. The bottom line is that inconsistency in vital disciplines is a sign of weakness, lack of focus, little heart and anemic drive. If you’re a sloppy leader you’ll attract and produce sloppy followers, create a sloppy culture, and produce sloppy results. And no one with a lick of sense wants to entrust their future into the hands of a leadership slob. By following points like the preceding nine you’ll effectively lead by personal example. Compromising in these areas because you think you’re above them, or because it’s easier for you is leading by personal convenience; a surefire recipe to reap compliance, but never to earn commitment. David Anderson is the President of Learn to Lead. For specific questions contact him via -twitter:@daveanderson100 or by e-mail at davida@dealersolutions.info.
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Make the
INVESTMENT the ROI is
WORTH IT. By David Villa
Have you ever used the words “I’m Spent” at the end of a long hard day? Have you come to the end of a task, or maybe finished a particular month and plopped in a chair or let out a sigh saying “man I’m glad that is over”? We all have, but what’s really being communicated is that we have nothing left to give, we are done, exhausted, and in reality we have an empty tank.
DON’T BANKRUPT YOURSELF When we “spend” we have nothing left to give. It’s defined as “paying out” and doesn’t address what we do when we’ve given away all we have and have nothing left to {pay out}...”we are spent”. Spending yourself and “Paying out” will eventually leave you “Running out” emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually, and relationally.... BROKE! When you spend without depositing anything back you become frustrated due to lack and eventually will bankrupt yourself.
INVEST, DON’T SPEND. When you spend, it’s gone. But investments? They typically grow over time. Investing in people and their needs can literally change the present and the future. When you invest you receive an ROI (Return on Investment). The key word is “return”. You’re helping, assisting, training, GIVING, however you are not left empty and therefore have the ability to grow stronger yourself. This allows you to multiply resources so you can teach others how to do the same and they can give generously to others.
THINK LONG-TERM NOT SHORT-TERM Often those of us in a position of leadership with the heart to pour into the lives of those around us can think on a short-term basis if not careful. We need to think long-term operating from investment rather than spending. Everything here on earth will break down, get used up, or wear out, but if we invest ourselves into our spouses, our children, those we lead, our vision, job, and others we impact daily then the ROI we receive will be lasting and impactful for generations to come. I’m talking about stopping the spending and starting the investing and watch your legacy birthed. When you spend yourself on a daily basis getting nothing in return constantly pouring out you’re giving out of a deficit. When you invest yourself into what you do and into others with a healthy David Villa is the President & CEO of IPD. ROI you see fruit and fulfillment in your giving and you are giving from a surplus.
For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@ipdmail or by e-mail at davidv@dealersolutions.info. David Villa is the President & CEO of IPD. For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@ipdmail or by e-mail at davidv@dealersolutions.info.
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al ib n n a C S M D e th l a ib n n a H (Part I of II)
By Don O’Neill
the best movies all hear those words, one of Hello Clarese. Still chilling to hardest of hearts, the Cannibal scored even the time, my opinion. Hannibal y. Kind of like our m the outside, just so ordinar maybe because he was fro h and every month. that dig through them eac DMS, and the mail houses . They look harmless enough sting that has e to pay for the DMS bla But what exactly is the pric the start of it, living to 5 years? I say we are last, say six been done for the last 4 the t over you, does it seem odd tha akness, we it, right now. Let me ask and th h broad pockets of streng o are on wh months there have been suc lers dea se Move forward now to tho ple, if sim is It with no rhyme or reason? ? h this the DMS. The problem wit few last the their second turn through hin wit ward customer you pushed for must ler dea the you haven’t replaced that le, cyc time for their normal trade bet to ng willi years, than when it comes am I ll, We ent customer. The cost? t. find themselves a replacem cos uisition t $616 average NADA acq it is A-Lot higher than tha t. Let’s do some is far greater than even tha I propose the cost to you C Toyota, and has AB If Bob bought a car from be monetized quick math to prove a point. can er years, than Bob as a custom a normal trade cycle of 5 as follows: 00.00 1. Sale Gross Profit - $14 50.00 $12 2. Service Profit (PM) Total: $4550.00 00.00 $10 $$ tion ten Re e vic Ser 3. .00 4. RO Repair $$ - $ 900 er to the tune of be monetized as a custom In a perfect world Bob can l trade cycle, ma his nor forward by two years in $4559. But, if I push him like this: than profit looks a bit more Profit: - $1200.00 ss Gro e rad Upg 1. 0 2. Service Profit: - $550.0 0 3. RO Repair $$ - $150.0 T otal: $584.00 616.00) 4. Replacement Cost - (-$ 0) 0.0 70 (-$ e 5. Lost Service Revenu our DMS, is a bad that pushing forward from The lesson here to learn is replace the customer, you slice it, unless you can business proposition no how nership lifespan. ent over there normal ow and the profit they repres ? Well, part replacing these customers to tion solu the d fin I do So where it: It is called your n the how’s, but let’s define II of this story breaks dow nd thousands in advertisplace you don’t have to spe service lane, and the one r doors. So while you s customers to come in you ing to get your competitor n the service lane. If , You might want to look dow are saying Hello to Clarise a little scary. you don’t, it can certain get iner. s and Marketing of CreditM Don O’Neill is the V.P. of Sale itMiner or red @C ter: twit via him tact For specific questions con lutions.info. by e-mail at don@dealerso
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3 Reasons Why Your Dealership Today’s consumers are always on the go and constantly connected with their digital devices. A recent Forbes article predicts that by year end 2015, almost half of all Google searches will come from mobile form factors. (Olson, 2015) As Millennial and Gen Y consumers interface predominantly online, the smartphone has become an indispensable tool integrated into all aspects of their daily lives and interactions. If your dealership is not already thinking mobile first then you are missing out big time on this mobile revolution! Untether your dealership and join the mobile masses by embracing these three key components of a compelling mobile strategy.
Tailor your Website for Mobile Users On April 21, 2015 Google rolled out an update to their search ranking algorithm that dramatically lowers rankings for any website that isn’t found to be “mobile friendly.” Dubbed “Mobilegeddon” by many, websites that are not optimized for viewing on a smartphone now rank lower than websites that are tailored for mobile screen viewing and engagement. With the NCM Institute reporting that 40% of dealer websites receive traffic on mobile and Forbes stating that Google handles more than 88% of all global searches – your dealership is toast without a smartphone optimized landing site! With “Mobilegeddon” now in the rear view mirror, do you know where your dealership website ranks? Compare your web site traffic before April 21st to the most recent time period to understand what impact it has already had. Responsive mobile design is nothing new. It has been a hot topic for website providers for more than two years but there are still digital marketing vendors in the automotive space that do not deliver mobile optimized, responsive design websites. Subtle differences in text size, link spacing, and fast loading media content can go a long way in improving your “mobile friendliness” ranking signal on Google. See how your dealership website rates today by test driving Google’s Mobile-Friendly tool (google. com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/). But remember, just because your dealership website passes the Google Mobile Friendly test does not mean it really screams on the small screen and delivers the look, feel, and customer experience you want your brand to
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N
Needs To Be MOBILE deliver. Be sure to have several digital media savvy team members at your dealership test your website on their own smartphones in the same way a consumer would search for vehicles and deals. Tweak the pages they find that aren’t responsive and focus redesign efforts on improving mobile showroom shopping. Consider developing a dealership branded mobile app or investing in a separate mobile site altogether if necessary to make sure your smartphone mobile user experience clicks with your customers and tops the local search rankings. Creating a business page on Google will also allow mobile users to see your dealership’s phone number and location on Google maps when they search for you. Location based services can highlight your selection as the nearest dealership with their target vehicle in inventory. Smartphone prospects can then easily add your dealership address to their GPS or call you with the click of a button serving a hot fresh up directly to your sales team.
Invest in Mobile Advertising Most dealerships have some portion of their advertising budget allocated for digital marketing, and in one way or another are already involved with CPC (cost-per-click) campaigns to bring traffic to their store. Beware of being lazy and using the same CPC approach for a smartphone platform as you do for a desktop device. To be in sync with a mobile first strategy, dealership CPC campaigns need to go after mobile users with advanced CPC targeting. Mobile savvy dealership digital agencies are setting up GeoFencing, Geo Retargeting, Registered Showroom Visits, and custom audience segments to capture attention and direct mobile car buying consumers to the lot. By using different strategies, collateral, and mobile site content, these agencies deliver more dealership ROI with their Social Ad campaigns. Get your service department into the mobile game with geo-targeting too! Try leveraging mobile only coupons and target smartphone customers for time based deals on services such as oil changes, tire rotations, and tune ups when harsh weather approaches into both new and existing service customers.
by Zach Klempf
Freedom from the Showroom Floor News Flash - Customers do not want to be dragged back into the showroom for your salesperson to enter their information into your dealership CRM system. Car sales rock stars don’t want to be anchored to their desk when the real action is on the lot. Innovative CRM systems are leading with mobile first components to allow for more efficient data entry and enhanced customer contact on the lot. Effective mobile CRM platforms should increase sales productivity by streamlining fresh up data entry and showcase available inventory via social media integration from a smartphone. The data entry process needs to be seamless and fast with features like driver’s license and VIN scanning. If these features are not part of your current dealership CRM system, explore your options to unleash your sales hunters back onto the asphalt jungle of the car lot.
Key Takeaways General managers need to adopt a mobile first strategy. If you’re not leveraging mobile in multiple areas of your dealership, then you are not effectively interfacing with your customers to the fullest extent possible. Strive to embed mobile in your dealership customer experience and branding strategy. If your dealership is having trouble adapting to this changing mobile landscape, consider a digital marketing consultant that can help you or hire a new team member with mobile marketing background. Mobile digital retailing is the way of the future and dealerships that don’t embrace mobility within their culture and marketing will be left standing still.
Zach Klempf is the CEO of Selly Automotive . For specific questions contact him via twitter - @ZachKlempf or by e-mail at zach@dealersolutions.info.
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d e e p S Boss, of the Speed
ew! r C e h t of
Start recruiting everyday. You must use multiple online and offline methods to recruit team members. Utilize the following: 1 – www.ziprecruiter.com 2 – www.indeed.com 3 – www.simplyhired.com By Mark Tewart
“Speed of the boss, speed of the crew. As you think and act your crew shall to0.” That phrase is absolutely true. Leaders are not only the captains that set the sail but also they are responsible for the attitude and urgency in which the team acts and thinks. In every single great or failing business, if you want to see the first reason why, look at the leaders. Leadership makes the difference. There is another phrase that says, “You manage things and you lead people.” Do not confuse managers and leaders. You can be both at the same time but it is common to see weak managers who are not leaders. When you have weak managers that are not leaders you have problems. If you were to look at any business to judge how effective the leadership is, you would judge by five criteria.
4 – www.onlinevetjobs.com 5 – www.careerbuilder.com 6 – www.monster.com 7 – www.craigslist.com 8 – Newspaper inserts 9 – Ads with the title “Management Trainee” 10 – Email your database announcing jobs 11 – Give stair step referral bonuses to your staff $500 on hire $500 in 6 months $500 in one year 12 – Recruit at all the businesses you patron. – Restaurants, bars, clothing stores, shoe stores, cell phone stores, electronic stores 13 – Utilize recruiting companies such as AutoMax and outsource 14 – Contact military bases and speak to the person in charge of outgoing personnel
#1 – Are the leaders attracting, recruiting, hiring and retaining the right team members?
15 – Contact all local colleges and arrange a visit with the career placement officer
#2 - Are the leaders educating and training the team often and effectively?
16 – Exhibit at job fairs 17 – Ask everyone you know and come in contact with everyday, “Whom do you know?”
#3 – Are the leaders giving the team members very clear expectations for their activities, job functions and results? #4 – Are the leaders a motivating force and creating a positive environment? #5 – Are the leaders holding their team members accountable? #1 – Recruiting and attracting the right team members. Looking at the automotive industry as a whole, leaders are doing an extremely poor job of attracting and recruiting good team members. The challenge of recruiting has become an excuse that you can’t get good people. STOP IT! You can get good people, but you can’t do it with yesterday’s methods. You can no longer recruit when you NEED people. You must recruit everyday because you WANT people. You can no longer expect people to walk in looking for a job. They don’t. You can no longer run an ad in the paper and have a bunch of people show up. 28
18 – Post on your website 19 – Include in your company newsletter or enews to your customers 20 – Advertise on traditional mass media such as radio and TV Now that you have the necessary resources to hire a good team, it is time to execute. Go make a difference at your dealership today. Without action, all of this information has very little use. Success only comes with action. Mark Tewart is the President of Tewart Enterprises Inc. For specific questions contact him via - twitter:@marktewart or by e-mail at markt@dealersolutions.info.
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Recommended Maintenance Create New Appointment Enter In-Dash Code
Select Appointment Mileage Interval History Existing Appointment Recommended Maintenance 40K 45K 35K Select Mileage Interval 40K Service (Good) Appointment History TIRE
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888.356.5338 | eleadsales@eleadcrm.com | www.elead-crm.com © Data Software Services, L.L.C. 2015 888.356.5338 | eleadsales@eleadcrm.com | www.elead-crm.com © Data Software Services, L.L.C. 2015
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