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feature solution

leadership solution

marketing solution
sales & training solution

inTerneT leads - are you closing every opporTuniTy?
shorTen The selling process, educaTe your buyer

markeTing lessons learned from a loT of TesTing
familiariTy is as a dog reTurning To iTs oWn vomiT

maTching your experTise To your perfecT markeT
dealerships peTri dishes for sexual harassmenT
a simple game plan for managemenT success

7 sTeps To immediaTely increase your sales

exciTe The righT people and bring Them in
don’T neglecT The ‘googlized’ consumer
groW service and sales by helping your

QuesTions To use in choosing The righT
Who is craig and WhaT’s WiTh The lisT?
google+ could change auTomoTive
bodyshop producTion managemenT

cusTomers make good decisions

understanding your market and What They Want

markeTing company, parT 1
don’T fighT iT, jusT WriTe iT

special finance online
by 20 percenT or more

and make more money

markeTing forever
by steveLausch

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grantCardone

1 ronSchornstein

scottJoseph
richardf.Libin

daveDunn

markTewart

TracyMyers

brianPasch

TroySpring
seanWolfington
marshBuice

marlenaSmith
TonyProvost
jimLeman

seanv.Bradley
drakeBaerresen
chadPolk
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SeanWolfington marketing solution

google+ could
change auTomoTive
markeTing forever
The brand of a dealership is affected by the your google+ circles
brand of its dealer, and vice versa. In a social The difference between Google+ and other social networking sites is who you choose to share
networking-driven world, it is important to your information with — your audience. In Google+ terminology, these are your “Circles,” and
stay connected — and in positive light — with your means for categorizing your contacts. To create your set of Circles:
customers, industry colleagues, employees and • Review the set of group Google+ has already established: “Friends,” “Family,”
any others who are responsive of your role in “Acquaintances” and “Following.”
the business. • Modify these to match the groups of people you are interested in sharing information with,
be it “Industry Colleagues” or “Employees” or even “Customers.” Note: When you assign
Recently, Google caused a stir when it launched someone to a circle, they will be notified, although they will not be aware of the name of the
Google+, the new social sharing service that’s circle they were assigned to.
currently available only to those lucky members
who receive an invitation; however, unlike other mind your settings
social sharing sites (Facebook being the first Each circle has its own settings; therefore, it’s important that you carefully read the fine print
that comes to mind), the all-new Google+ begs pertaining to each. This is especially important if you have several different circles and wish to
its users to practice “sharing decorum.” share things differently according to each.

first Things first adding to your circles
The only way to use Google+ right now is Your circles aren’t circles without some contacts in them, so here is how to start adding them:
by invitation, and due to the high amount of • Browse Google’s suggestions for who to add to your circles; these are derived from your most
traffic the site has generated, invitations have frequent Gmail and address book contacts.
slowed down. Before you even get to that step, • Because Google+ isn’t integrated with other social networking sites, you will have to search
however, there are some prerequisites to fulfill for your friends’ contact information.
before one can start sharing. • Rest-assured, Google is bound to deliver on integration, but for the time being, updating your
Google contacts is the best way to go. To update: Log in to Google, go to https://mail.google.
The first is creating and/or updating your com and click “Contacts.”
Google Profile. In addition to its functionality
in Google+, your Google Profile helps you initiate a huddle
manage your online reputation. Unlike customer Google+ refers to private conversations within a group as the “Huddle.” To use this feature:
reviews, a Google Profile gives the dealer the • Test it out first. Choose a circle, preferably one that you are comfortable testing the waters with;
opportunity to control the information about I suggest your friends. As you catch on to which circle receives your conversations — and
them that is available on the Web. while Google works out its own glitches — you’ll want to keep the conversation light-hearted.
hanging out in google+
To do so, follow these steps:
Google+’s most interesting feature is the Hangout, where Webcam conferencing simulates the
• Log in to Google: https://www.google.com/
activity of socializing face to face. To Hangout:
accounts/ServiceLogin; if you don’t have an
• Click the green “Hangout” button on the right panel. A preview dialog box will appear
account, create one. This account will be used
allowing you to preview what your live image looks like.
to connect your Gmail, Google Docs, Picasa
• Next, add individuals or entire Circles to your dialog box – you can also indicate to your
and any other Google services you use.
contacts that they are invited to join if they wish.
• Once logged in, create your Google Profile
• As with the Huddle, it’s best to start small and with those you are most comfortable with.
here: https://profiles.google.com/; fill your
• Be warned: it is possible to mute someone, although that person — and everyone else in the
profile with photos, a short biography,
Hangout, for that matter — will know who muted who. So be polite.
awards received, industry events attended,
links to positive articles published, links mix it up
to your business’s Website and any other There is plenty to do on Google+ in addition to Huddling and Hanging Out, including:
positive content you have available. • Google+ features a sports utilities for photo sharing
• It’s just as important to make the profile • Google+ is equipped with an automated content discovery tool
“public.” To do so, visit https://www.google.
com/accounts/ManageAccount. Stay up to date on new Google+ developments, experiment and gain an edge by checking in
• If you have existing Picasa albums, review periodically with sites such as www.TechCrunch.com, www.Mashable.com, Google’s YouTube
them and the sharing settings you previously page, and other industry blogs.
established, as these will be shared with Sean Wolfington is an automotive entrepreneur in digital marketing. He can be contacted at
your Google+ circles. 866.802.5753, or by e-mail at swolfington@autosuccessonline.com.

08 autosuccessonline.com

TracyMyers marketing solution

maTching your experTise
To your perfecT markeT
understanding your market and What They Want

Last month, I examined why you should that it should be small enough for you to become recognized as a specialist, but it should be large
understand yourself and your offer, which enough to enable you to make a lot of money.
is the first part of a three-step process in
becoming the “go-to” expert in your highly The next step in understanding your market is being clear about what they are looking for. People
profitable marketplace. always buy something for one of the following reasons:
1. To get pleasure or make their life better in some way
Of course, knowing yourself is only part of the 2. To avoid/reduce pain or solve a problem
story. It’s even more important to get to know
your target market. If you don’t know who Most products or services do one or the other — some do both. Ideally, you should be able to
is in your market, you won’t be able to reach present what you do in both categories. The following exercises will help.
them, and you won’t make money. If you don’t 1. List the biggest problems your target market faces.
know what they want, you’ll have no chance of 2. Identify why they still haven’t solved the problem.
satisfying their needs. 3. Describe how your product or service makes their life better.

The better you get to know your market, As always, it’s a good idea to get someone else to give you feedback in this process. You could
the more chance you will have of becoming even ask your customers directly.
special to them and of building a successful
business. The first part of this process is to The key to promoting yourself as the “expert brand” is ensuring that you talk to your market in
define your ideal customer. terms of benefits. Focus on how what you do makes their life different.
• Identify the key characteristics of your ideal It’s crucial to understand the difference between benefits and features. Features are simply the
customer — details such as age, gender, facts about your product or service. Your customers and prospects want to know what you can
hobbies and geographic location. do for them to make their lives easier, better, more fun or more profitable, so make sure you take
• Define the most important psychological time to identify what your clients are really looking for from your services and present this in the
factors of your ideal customer — what’s form of benefits.
important to them, what motivates them, and
what they want to achieve. There is nothing wrong with being able to list features of your product or service, but you need
to be able to turn those into something that has a benefit for your customer. The key question is
• Describe why you like working with your “what does that mean for me?”
ideal customers.
So, are you still with me? Hang in there, review the past two months’ columns, and get ready for
• Identify where your ideal customers hang next month when I share step three: “Matching Your Offer With What The Market Wants.”
out and where you can connect with them —
both online and off-line. Tracy Myers, C.M.D. is a noted small business marketing and branding solutions specialist,
best-selling author, speaker, car dealership owner and entrepreneur. He can be contacted at
The key to having the right target market is 866.860.0029, or by e-mail at tmyers@autosuccessonline.com.

And The Winner Is…
Find out on October 9, 2011

The 2011 Automotive Website Awards will be presented at the
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“leave your Wallets at home”
At first, this sounds a bit backwards from what most dealers would say when reaching
out to their customers. It is especially backwards in the days of economic strain for
the consumer, interrupted supply from the manufacturer and struggling profits for the
dealer. Still, more and more dealers are trading the standard “happy birthday” call (and
other forced conversations) for this surprisingly different script; and, as it plays out, the
new approach has been responsible for some astonishing results:
• A South Carolina dealer sold 71 vehicles off of a single campaign.
• An Illinois dealer grossed $135,000 in an initial effort with this selling strategy.
• A Georgia dealer now earns 46 percent higher gross with this process over standard
showroom traffic.
• An Ohio dealer averages more than $500 in lift per vehicle on new sales and $1,000
on pre-owned sales.
• A Florida dealer is seeing 14 percent of all monthly sales attributed to this approach.

What are They doing differently?
Due in part to good practice, and part to strategic response to the downturn of the
past years, these dealers have made reselling current customers a primary focus. Most
dealers, with any good business sense, would agree: Repeat business is important.
These dealers, however, are taking it to a whole new level.

Each day, these stores sort through the data from all finance deals over the past few
years. The goal: Find all qualified customers who, with no money down, could lower
their current payment and get into a newer vehicle. To do it right, they carefully
research each deal by:
• determining the current value for each vehicle by model, mileage and market info,
among other factors
• calculating payoff while considering refundable items like credit life, disability, GAP
and roadside assistance
• identifying a specific term, based on buyer preferences and a specific rate based on
buyer history
• factoring in all current manufacturer rebates and incentives
• running the buyer’s vehicle preferences and present vehicle against current inventory
• aligning within the dealer’s acceptable profit structure for any model or vehicle type

The finished product is a daily list of opportunities simply waiting to close: customers
who can “leave their wallet at home” and get into a new or newer vehicle, with a new
warranty, with little to no money down.

engaging the right buyers
With list in hand, these dealers turn to high-powered, multi-touch, multi-channel
marketing campaigns to engage their customers. From high-quality, first-class mailers
to permission-based digital campaigns with video, pre-qualified buyers are invited to
the showroom to save money, not spend it. Once with a sales professional, the structure
of the current deal is quickly and easily accessed. Lease and purchase options are
served up for all recommended vehicles in inventory. The conversation immediately
fast-forwards from if the customer will purchase to how the customer will purchase.

everybody Wins
Tell the average consumer they can get into a new or newer vehicle, lower their
monthly payments and do so with little to no money down, and then note what they
don’t do. Answer? In the vast majority of occasions, the consumer doesn’t shop and the
consumer doesn’t haggle. Why? The customer believes he has already achieved what
anyone hopes for in the process of buying a new or newer vehicle: a good deal. But the
real win is for the dealer on at least two fronts:

Gross – As stated, consumers are unlikely to haggle when they’ve already found the
“killer deal.” This means with less negotiation, you close the deal faster and at higher
gross. In fact, many dealers are generating an additional $500-1,000 gross per vehicle
sold by using this equity strategy. And that doesn’t count the second-generation sale
from acquired trades.

Inventory – Consumer behavior has driven supply down and pricing up for pre-
owned vehicles in many markets. And with vehicles commanding a premium price-
point at the auction, dealers must do a better job at finding quality trades to build a
strong inventory.

And speaking of inventory, our five dealers (and many others like them) are increasing
their average turn by saying good-bye to aged vehicles on the lot. If they can use

customer data to identify inventory for qualified buyers, there is nothing stopping them Who Where
WW
from identifying qualified buyers for specific inventory. The process is simply turned
don asher, general sales manager
inside out, and customer lists are generated of people who will happily take that unit
college hills honda (Wooster, oh)
off your hands if it means getting into a newer vehicle with little to no money down.
“I used to get the service appointment list for the
better Than a cup of coffee
next business day, pull old deals, run trade values,
We were always coached that some of our best opportunities were not on the lot, but
call for payoffs, outline deals and make the customer
in the service drive. We were told that offering a cup of coffee was the perfect entrée
contact,” said Don Asher. “It would take me five
to a conversation of if and when the consumer would be in the market for the next
hours to dig up five deals. Now I can look at 50
vehicle. Unfortunately, like the traditional “happy birthday” call (which, by the way,
deals in five minutes because of DealActivator.” In
is still a good customer touch), most patrons smell the sales pitch along with their
the first few weeks, College Hills Honda witnessed
complimentary cup of French roast. There’s a better approach.
an immediate boost in sales with this campaign, “but
what many [dealers] don’t account for is the fact that
Because the information used to generate equity leads flows right from the CRM,
they are also improving fixed ops income,” Asher
dealers can quickly and easily identify which of their customers are scheduled for
said. “The recon work collected from these deals
service that day. Even better, they can use the same methods to look a day or even a
generates more income for parts and service. Plus,
week into the future, make the proactive call and look like a hero to the customer
on every trade we are able to build a ton of value
about to spend $100, $300, $500 or more in the service drive. This is a huge win
because we have every service record on file to share
for the consumer.
with the new owner. This is a huge selling point.”
Fixed ops aren’t the only areas of improvement,
real dealers. real results.
however. The dealership is now averaging an
While some of these dealers are single-point stores, others are large dealer groups.
additional $500 per vehicle on new sales and $1,000
While some own domestic franchises, others sell imports. But as you will read, they
on pre-owned sales. Based on their return to market
all are finding success in accelerating turn, maximizing gross, and driving repeat
report they are at 82 percent, 28th in the nation. “Our
business in the showroom and conquest business in the service drive – all by using
customers are so excited, because they are saving
DealActivator, the equity management solution from Autobase.
money on monthly payments. They don’t even think

Who Where
about shopping,” Asher said. “Not a single deal from
WW robert koreman, interactive marketing director
resnick auto group (schaumburg, il)
this campaign has shopped! They value our honesty
and appreciate our initiative to save them money.”

Who Where
“In today’s economic climate, we had to begin focusing more on building loyal owners,
and not just on conquest business,” said Robert Koreman. “The doors aren’t swinging
anymore, so we needed to utilize customer data in a way that entices our owners to
WW
larry oblinger, general sales manager
buy and gives our staff a purpose in contacting them.” Koreman and the Resnick Auto bmW of naples (naples, fl)
Group recorded immediate results from their use of DealActivator, with more than 70
vehicles delivered from their first campaign. “Between Toyota and Lexus sales, we are “Valid information regarding the upgrades to an
seeing a combined gross of more than $135,000 and counting from one campaign,” existing vehicle is now included in our sales calls,”
he said. Gross per unit also increased as compared to standard deals. “We average 45 said Larry Oblinger. “[DealActivator] has motivated
percent higher gross on sales from in equity customers,” Koreman said. “My managers our salespeople because these calls are easy to make
all agree: This is the best lead generation tool they have ever seen.” and result in success.” Beyond the advantages of
moving clients into newer vehicles is the unrealized
Who Where
wealth of pre-owned inventory that results from
WW kirt cahill, cfo
east coast honda (south myrtle beach, sc) this equity cycle. “This has become an outstanding
source of pre-owned inventory,” Oblinger said. “We
“We are able to keep loyal customers, because the information is factual. Customers receive better trades, and so the money spent on
see that this isn’t a gimmick,” said Kirt Cahill. As with any dealership using pre-owned inventory is primarily for reconditioning,
DealActivator, East Coast Honda customizes the profit structure for their leads as well not for transport and auction fees. Ultimately, we
as the design of their equity campaigns each month. “We have flexibility now that we are able to present a better product at a lower cost.”
never had before,” Cahill said. “That is important. We should be in control, not the Client retention is a natural byproduct with this
product.” Out of the gate, East Coast Honda averaged 22 sales per month from this program. “We have fewer missed opportunities
program alone, and sold 71 vehicles from a single campaign. The quality and quantity regarding client retention, resulting in more sales
of their pre-owned inventory increased dramatically through trades with equity and increased profitability,” Oblinger said. The
customers, paving the way toward second-generation sales. “If a dealer can’t sell impact of using this campaign was instant for BMW
10 cars a month from this, they need to reevaluate their process,” Cahill said. “The of Naples. In a few short weeks, the store was seeing
product practically does all of the work for you.” 14 percent of all sales attributed to the new program
and with significantly higher gross. “Any tool that
Who Where
can produce immediate results is worth the money,
WW craig hooten, internet sales director
gwinnett place ford (duluth, ga) and we couldn’t be more satisfied,” Oblinger said.

“It’s a creative and effective way for us to engage with the sold customers in our When a solution is available that not only increases
database,” said Craig Hooten. The use of DealActivator at Gwinnett Place Ford has the profit margin on sales and increases valuable
skyrocketed gross profit. Gross on these deals was measured to be 46 percent higher pre-owned stock, but also makes the consumer glad
than that of standard deals. “We’re averaging close to double our profit margin on deals to hear what you can do for them, it is one of those
that have been generated by this campaign in comparison to walk-in-traffic and Internet rare win-win situations that salespeople from any
traffic,” Hooten said. The impact on sales happened almost overnight. In fact, due to area would love to be a part of. Perhaps even more
the return seen from these new leads, the sales team is now seeking them out. As much valuable than the immediate reward, however, is the
as 13 percent of all sales have come from this program. “When customers feel they are feeling you’ve engendered in the customer who feels
getting a good deal, they’re excited,” Hooten said, “and most importantly, will become that you’ve helped them; they’ll tell their family and
loyal. We are able to tally a victory in both categories.” friends, and you’ve made a customer for life.

Steve Lausch is the director of marketing for Autobase. He can be contacted at 866.626.7128, or by e-mail at slausch@autosuccessonline.com

ScottJoseph marketing solution
“Do you think this direct mail piece has sales
markeTing lessons appeal?”
“Can you suggest any improvements?”
learned from a I do my best to answer them all, but time can be
loT of TesTing in short supply. In this month’s article I want to
share a few of the critiques that seem to come
up most often. I want to remind you, once again,
I am frequently asked to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising. Most of the requests come that no ad will bring you business unless it
from individuals who read our blogs and articles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. convincingly answers these two questions:
• What can you do for me?
When people e-mail me, they often attach copies of their ads and promotional materials, along • How do I know you can do it?
with questions like these:
“Scott, can you suggest a way to improve this e-mail?” Answering those questions is your advertising
“Is the headline on this ad strong enough?” challenge in a nutshell. To write ads that “pull,”
you should headline the strongest benefit you
can offer a customer; and then follow up with
proof of your ability to deliver that benefit.

When you do both of those things, you are
doing a super job of selling. And remember:
Advertising is nothing more than salesmanship
in print, an e-mail — or in your mailbox.

Everybody wants a better deal. Everybody
wants to be special. Sell people what they want
and give them what they need. Make sure the
benefits of the product or deal you are selling
are ones that your customers and prospects
regard as most important to them — not you.

You may have lease specials that are better
than anything you or your customers have
seen in years. But what happens if the person
buying only cares about the selling price or
their trade value? So, for that customer, make
sure in your ads that you explain how and why
your sales price and/or trade value is better
than anywhere else in town.

Today, a data analytic team with the right skill
set can identify what matters most to your
prospective customers. In addition, technology
allows you to create a unique offer to each
individual you are advertising to based on
their buying behaviors and profile. In the new
economy, if you are not marketing this way
you will never maximize your advertising
potential. It goes right back to making sure
that you have the right message and the right
audience for that message.

Make sure, too, that what you place before
the buying public is perceived as believable.
Sometimes, in an effort to make an offer or
deal sound great, you can cross that fine line
where a person no longer believes what you
are saying or selling. Always be truthful.

So, are your ads effective? I’ll examine the ads
sent in by the first 20 readers of this article for
free and give you my opinion. Just send them
to the e-mail address below.

Scott Joseph is the president of JL
Marketing, Inc. He can be contacted at
888.835.1689, or by e-mail at
sjoseph@autosuccessonline.com.


MarshBuice sales training solution

familiariTy is as a
dog reTurning To
iTs oWn vomiT
Are you tired, frustrated, and had enough? leads to unemployment. The cycle of “leap-frog” then begins jumping from job to job; swinging
Are you thinking about throwing in the like a blind fighter into the darkness of self-confidence and doubt-hoping to find the person you
towel? Before you cry out “No mas!” or begin once were. Your DNA has not changed, you are no less talented than you once were, but I’ve got
whistling “The Thrill is Gone,” go into the news for you: Yesterday ended last night.
bathroom and look in the mirror. What you
see is the sum of your past decisions and If you were a computer, what operating version are you running? Are you operating Me 1.0 or
actions or lack thereof. When you walk out a newly updated version Me 5.1? New updates replace the older ones, causing your operating
of the bathroom, the direction you go begins system to run faster, stronger and more efficiently. Technology is ever advancing. Apple did
your future. not rest on its laurels when they introduced the iPod. They turned technology on its head,
breaking conformists’ views of how things are and mandated how things are now going to be.
The one thing that is good about the past is They crushed the way music is sold, and with the introduction of iPad, will likely make laptops
the lessons learned. Often we return to our obsolete. Like every company, Apple must constantly tweak, poke, prod and probe because they
past like a dog returns to its own vomit — it realize today’s invention will quickly become yesterday’s news. Introduction is re-invention;
is familiar, and because of its familiarity, as your problem is not the economy, it is your lack of invention.
vile as it may be, it always goes back. What
got you “here” will not take you “there.” The Think of this recession as a reset-tion, a blank canvas of sorts. Every industry, every person gets
reason why you might be frustrated and not a mulligan; we each get to start over. It is one big reset button. If you think about it, we are all
seeing the results you once did is because you on the same ship, just on different decks. Now standing before you is opportunity and invention.
are returning to familiarity instead of venturing It is now time to reinvent yourself and seize your opportunities. If you are selling cars the same
into the unknown; you are playing it safe. way you have always sold them, update your version. New updates are tweaks to older, outdated
When you play it safe, you are comfortable versions; some systems may need to be scrapped all together. Every two years, most vehicles
and become complacent; complacency robs are “refreshed;” they are not total makeovers, just tweaks such as new technology and softer
action; lack of action leads to erosion; erosion bodylines. They change due to consumers’ demands. Every four to five years a new body style
replaces the older version — even if it is a hit, the manufacturer
reinvents a better version. If the buying public demands newer
versions of what you are selling, don’t you think they expect the same
from you?

At the core of effective selling is reinvention. We all have “hit the
wall” moments in our lives. These are moments, experiences such
as the loss of a loved one or job, foreclosure, divorce, bankruptcy
and obesity. These moments are bookmarks in our book titled Life;
it is at these points where we have to make a choice to reinvent our
lives for the better. Some learn from experience, while others never
recover. If you don’t like the direction your life is heading, change it.
Your life doesn’t have to be that of a train forging ahead on the tracks
someone else laid. You have the ability to derail at any moment and
go a different direction — a direction in which you chart the course of
these un-chartered waters.

We have a rare opportunity in our lives where everyone gets to begin
again; now marks your new beginning. It is your time to reinvent
yourself in order to reach your full potential. The opportunity for
reinvention exists for everyone willing to venture from the known into
the unknown; some will take the leap, others will return to familiarity
as a dog to its own vomit, blaming everyone and everything else
besides themselves.

As Max Dupree wrote, “We cannot become what we need to be by
remaining what we are.” There are no more Mondays in which to
begin something; begin it now and do not stop until you end up with
now spelled backwards… won. I will see you next time on the newly
paved black top.
podcast interviewee

Marsh Buice is the sales manager of Mark Dodge
Chrysler, Jeep. He can be contacted at 866.535.5006,
or by e-mail at mbuice@autosuccessonline.com.


BrianPasch marketing solution

don’T neglecT
Website pages, videos, press releases,
testimonials, etc. The “+1” click is a positive
vote for your Website assets. These votes will

The ‘googlized’ eventually influence search position much like
links from other Websites.

consumer Once an empowered consumer decides to “+1”
your digital assets, their thumbnail profile photo
will appear to their network of friends. These
Dealers need to look at the value of their Reviews posted on Google Places are
customer base in terms of the new power given extremely visible. Every month, a dealer’s thumbnails will catch the eye of consumers and
to “Googlized” consumers. The consumer business name is searched thousands of times. increase click activity. Why? Their photo under
that we need to identify has an e-mail account Each time, Google Places and consumer your listing is their stamp of approval.
associated with Google services. reviews are displayed on Page One. You can’t
hide any longer from your online reputation If you compare the power of Googlized
It might be a Gmail account, or no ; you don’t scores now that Google Places consolidates consumers to increase brand awareness, click
know unless you ask. The message of this reviews from multiple Websites. traffic and enhance your digital advertising every
article is that you cannot afford not to ask. day, their worth soars over a non-Googlized
Delaying impacts all of your digital marketing However, the Googlized customer has a special consumer who sends you a notecard of thanks.
investments. perk. Reviews posted by Googlized consumers
can also be used in Google Boost advertising 550,000 google accounts a day
Business owners need to implement processes to make your PPC ads stand out from local When businesses realize that 550,000 Android
to ask and identify consumers with Google boring text ads. Google Boost does not include mobile devices are activated per day and that
accounts. Why? Recent changes in how reviews posted on third-party review sites. each has a Google account, the tsunami of
Google displays search results give your influential Googlized consumers will grow. Are
This is a game changer for dealers operating you ready for the tidal wave of power?
customers who have Google accounts in markets where their competition is using
unprecedented power. Google Adwords. Google Boost creates ads that The boring SERP of years past is now a
are more compelling to the eye and increase technicolor quilt of thumbnails and stars.
google consumers and reviews click traffic. Best of all, in most cases they are
These Googlized consumers can place a review cheaper than the Adwords per click costs. Brian Pasch, is CEO of PCG Digital
directly on Google Places, which impacts Marketing and the founder of the Automotive
your business every day. For many businesses, google consumers can now +1 Internship Program. He can be contacted at
Google Places is the No. 1 source of free your Website pages 866.849.1560, or by e-mail at
referring traffic to their Website. Googlized consumers can now “+1” your bpasch@autosuccessonline.com.


TD Auto Finance

Chrysler Financial and
TD Bank Group have
joined forces to become
TD Auto Finance.

Introducing TD Auto Finance
TD Auto Finance is a North American, top-5
bank-owned auto finance company that We’re ready for your business.
combines more than 45 years of automotive Call TD Auto Finance today at 1-800-200-1513
financing expertise from Chrysler Financial or visit us online at www.tdafdealer.com.
with the financial stability of TD Bank Group.
All of which means we understand your
business and are committed to helping it
grow, today, and into the future.

Part of the TD Bank Group,
a Aaa-rated bank ranked
as one of the safest banks
in North America.

TD Auto Finance LLC, is a subsidiary of TD Bank, N.A. TD Bank Group is a trade name for The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Used with permission. For detailed credit ratings for The Toronto-Dominion Bank and TD Bank, N.A. visit
http://www.td.com/investor/credit.jsp. Credit Ratings are not recommendations to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation inasmuch as they do not comment on market price or suitability for a particular investor. Ratings are subject
to revision or withdrawal at any time by the rating organization.

RichardF.Libin leadership solution
All around, it makes good business sense. The
a simple game plan salespeople succeed and the manager succeeds.

for managemenT Consider how successful the dealership would
be if this same effort was applied toward
success achieving the overall business goal.

a manager’s job
Apathy can permeate the automotive sales image and awareness in the community, A manager’s primary job is to develop the
industry even in a down economy. Managers, customer loyalty, the organization’s culture, abilities of others to perform and produce stated
not knowing what else to do, simply throw sales execution, employee performance and outcomes. Managers must help each individual
more resources at the problem in an effort turn-over in every department. establish attainable goals and objectives that are
to help their people “improve” — courses, aligned with the needs of the dealership. They
books, tapes, DVDs, blogs, portals, lectures, Set personal and professional goals. As a should help each person define the expected
podcasts and many more — you name it. manager, what is your vision for your role in the outcomes of what success looks like. Then,
There’s probably even an “app” for that. When organization? What are your weaknesses? How they can step back and let their people work,
managers look for the “quick fix,” or “magic will you measure your effectiveness as a leader, providing coaching, guidance and additional
pixie dust” or the hottest trend, they lose sight coach and manager? What path will you take to training and education along the way to help
of their direction and goals. achieve these goals and to ensure the dealership them continuously improve.
is on track to achieve the overall business goal?
Instead of jumping on the bandwagon of But, what does “improving” mean? That
the latest trend, managers should step back Secure, analyze and understand depends on each person’s circumstance, goals
and develop and execute a plan of ongoing, performance data for the dealership as and challenges. For example, it can mean
consistent training and education, a program a unit, for each department and for each building better relationships with colleagues
that addresses the needs of the entire team as individual and monitor it on a continual and customers. It can mean closing more
well as individuals. Tuned-in managers use this basis. This is crucial in developing an effective sales at higher profits. It can mean learning
plan to guide and give direction. They focus and relevant training and education program to prospect. It can mean developing people to
their energy on moving forward by coaching that will help people improve and focus on grow or any number of things. Performance
and developing their people to perform more achieving the overall business goal. Only by data will help identify exactly what this means
effectively. They offer support and pass identifying areas that need improvement can a for each individual.
on information and expertise. In doing so, manager seek to address their own weaknesses
managers put their people in a position to and coach their people toward success. While straightforward, many managers in the
succeed, whether it’s selling one more vehicle rush of everyday business overlook some basic
a month, increasing service opportunities or On a micro level, consider what would happen steps that are imperative in helping their people
building a database of prospects. if a manager coached his salespeople so they develop action plans for improvement. Next
could effectively close one more sale a month. month, we’ll take a look at these steps and how
Before successful training and educational If a dealership has 20 salespeople and each you can use them to benefit your employees,
programs can be implemented, managers must delivers one more vehicle each month, that’s customers and your bottom line.
complete three basic steps: 20 deliveries a month, 240 deliveries each
year. By capitalizing on existing resources, Richard F. Libin is president of
Define “success” by creating an overall goal the dealer will have to spend less time and APB-Automotive Profit Builders,

podcast interviewee
for the business. In an ideal world, what would money to bring in new prospects. In addition, Inc. He can be contacted at
the dealership be and how would it function? the salespeople will be happier as they reap the 866.450.6853, or by e-mail at
This should encompass the dealership’s brand financial benefits of focusing on a realistic goal. rlibin@autosuccessonline.com.

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