When it comes to inventory marketing best practices, Gibson Truck World in Sanford, Florida has so many, we had to omit several from this article to fit this space. With sales topping 1,800 units annually, 65 employees, and $7 million in inventory on 14 acres, Gibson is the largest used truck dealership in the world and ranks No. 18 of independent dealers in the U.S.* Impressive, to be sure, but what’s more impressive is how they sustain these numbers. The biggest clue lies in the fact that a whopping 60 percent of their sales result from referrals and repeat customers.

1. 2011
OCTOBER

2. It Damn Near
Brown Daub Kia
PA, enjoyi
ter… on
ng some
in Easton, a Saturday.
Killed Me...
, owner of use with his daugh
Tom Ring ke ho
ESP at his new la
of people are sitting it out because some
were pouring in. Money was flowing. problem is keeping them from what they
How could I have known the car But how long would it last? I’m really want. But that inner desire among
business would try to take my life? Maybe happy to report that it’s been nearly three most people has power that overcomes
you’re a lot like me. Or at least how I used to years since I first found these guys. And logic. That craving remains, untouched,
be. I was working endlessly in the dealership. every year has gotten better. 2009 was a in the unconscious pleasure center of our
I had my life’s savings wrapped up in the record profit year, until 2010 shattered the brains, where typical advertising messages
business, and when “the crash” came it record. And we netted more by June 2011 never reach.
nearly ruined everything. My kids, my wife, than we had in all of 2010. The only thing I Jim & Travis knew that the most
my mortgage, my life…it all passed before can say is “hold on tight” because it’s the ride powerful part of the human brain was the
my eyes as I watched sales get cut in half and of your life. unconscious “lizard brain.” So they began
profit all but disappear completely. The best part is, not only did they crafting messages that subtly speak to the
I was frozen in fear for a while, then help me increase sales (from about 80 new subconscious mind and virtually hypnotize
got moving, when a Google search led me to and used per month to over 250 new and customers into buying from you—and loving
a couple of guys you may have heard of used per month now) but they convinced me the experience. They’ve sold more than
before – Jimmy Vee & Travis Miller from to slow down and appreciate life more. I’ve 2,000,000 cars this way, and as you read
Rich Dealers. Of course, I’d heard it all never felt more alive…and my family has this, every two minutes another car is sold.
before…increase traffic, increase sales, over never really known me before now. I’ve been What makes their program so
promise, under deliver. What else is new? able to rebuild cars with my boys and be much more effective than other ordinary
Frankly, I didn’t believe there was anything there when my daughter left for her first solutions? First, they write the creative for
out there I hadn’t already tried. But I didn’t date. My wife thinks she married a new man. you. They don’t ask you to come up with the
have much to risk, so I gave it a shot. “Prove Jim & Travis call it ESP – Enjoyable, Simple ideas. Every month they develop a fresh, new,
me wrong, guys,” I said. & Prosperous. It’s the ultimate goal of being winning campaign based on their formula.
Reluctantly, I got involved. I gotta a Rich Dealer. And it’s real, very real. What a relief! I was so glad not to have to come
say…they were talking about things nobody Since then, my experience has up with the ideas myself anymore.
else was talking about. In fact, they seemed convinced numerous other dealers around The other high impact portion
to be telling me the opposite of what most the country and in Canada to check out the of their program is the interaction with their
people were telling me I should do. It was program. Over the past few years I’ve seen a other members. Jim & Travis host a private
anything but “common knowledge” and I lot of different people join the program. I’ve meeting four times per year. I’ve learned
was even more skeptical at this point. How seen a small independent dealer from more (and shared more) in those meetings
could these two guys know something Kentucky (Tony) start taking Saturdays off than I have in any other group or seminar
nobody else did? Seemed unlikely. But keep while grossing $500k per month. I’ve seen a I’ve ever attended. Plus, all the members are
reading… big mid-west Chevy dealer (Courtney) go connected online 24/7 through the Internet.
So, back at the dealership, I figured from 250 cars per month to 400 cars per Got a question? Some other member has the
why not try some of what they were suggest- month by doing what I did. I’ve seen answer. And since there’s only one dealer
ing. So, I ran the ad they gave me, I followed Hyundai dealers, Dodge Chrysler dealers, per market area, people are always willing
their strategy and I made some simple Kia dealers, and everything in between come to share their best ideas and secrets.
changes to the way we positioned our dealer- in and turn everything around by doing The first step toward becoming a
things differently than all the other “gurus” member yourself is the free Market Rater
ship to the customers. They showed me how
recommend. It’s refreshing. And it’s fun to Analysis. A Rich Dealers Advisor will analyze
to be in command of the actions of potential
your market to determine how much
buyers by speaking to their subconscious double your business, take more dough
untapped opportunity exists. Then they’ll
mind. My expectations were low. home and spend more time with your family
answer your questions about the program
What happened next? Well, I could at the same time.
and explain how you can try it yourself, risk
hardly believe it. It was like someone How does it work? Jim & Travis
free. To schedule, call 866.852.0145
turned on the lights. It was a complete say, “Stop selling cars, start selling and ask for Wayne Harris or visit
and rapid reinvention of our business. solutions.” And they’re right! They www.MarketRater.com.
The energy in the sales department went recognized what so many others have
through the roof. People were excited to missed: only a tiny part of the population ®
come to work again. The phones were are actively, consciously shopping for a
ringing, the showroom was busy, leads nicer, newer car…while the vast majority

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6. AutoSuccess Magazine is published monthly at 2300 Hurstbourne Village Dr, Suite 1200 Louisville, KY 40299; 502.588.3155, fax 502.588.3170. Direct all subscription and customer service inquiries to 877.818.6620 or info@autosuccessonline.com.
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in this magazine or in respect of the content of any other magazine to which this magazine may be linked from time to time. Always confer with legal counsel before implementing changes in procedures.© All contents copyrighted by AutoSuccess Magazine, a
Division of Systems Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without express written consent from AutoSuccess. AutoSuccess may occasionally make readers’ names available to other companies whose products and/or
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Susan Givens, Publisher Thomas Williams, VP & Creative Director Dave Davis, Editor & Creative Strategist Brian Ankney, Account Manager Susie Horne, Account Manager
John Warner, Sales-Improvement Strategist
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jwarner@autosuccessonline.com
feature solution
leadership solution
marketing solution
sales & training solution
afTer 12+ years in The auTomoTive inTerneT sales...
manual To aTTracT more cusTomers and close deals
hone your adverTising To hiT The narrow TargeT
adopT The digiTal-age equivalenT of The evidence
do you have a sTraTegy for connecTing wiTh
arTificial inTelligence is paving The way To
maybe iT is Time To change your bodyshop
cusTomers before They hiT The inTerneT?
when To use you vs.why To choose you
‘zmoT’ and your online repuTaTion
whaT would fooTball have To do
your own personal gold mine
“no price” markeTing meThod:
guilTy unTil proven innocenT
The 8Th wonder of The world
a new approach to stocking used vehicles
cusTomer relaTionships 101
define your experT brand
craigslisT has rules
an interview by gretchenKennedy
financial sTaTemenT
wiTh selling cars?
increased sales
provisioning:
hype or reality?
why f&i?
18
26
22
16
08
42
10
24
34
38
14
20
30
28
32
36
44
40
JohnNorman
chrisCochran
russellGrant
bryanAnderson
marshBuice
JohnBrentlinger
glennPasch
TomKain
TracyMyers
dalePollak
heatherMacKinnon
daveDunn
peterBond
JimmyVee
& TravisMiller
drakeBaerresen
markTewart
seanv.Bradley
chuckPatton
12
0
0
4
2
3
4

7. You Are GUARANTEED to Increase Your
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Hi, my name is Mark Tewart. I may have had the honor of coming into contact with you
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you may have read my best-selling book How To Be A Sales Superstar.
Whether you know me or not, you may be wondering what allows me to be able to make
such an outrageous claim. The answer is simple: If a client follows my no gimmick, no BS,
fool-proof and proven methods, the results are as predictable as the sun coming up every
day. That may sound arrogant to some of you, but to me and my select clients it’s just reality.
Every year I have many dealers who ask me to work with them to help improve their sales
and pro ts. I reject most of them. I only choose a few each year to work with on such a
large scale. There are a few reasons why I carefully hand pick who to work with. Mark Tewart,
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The rst reason is that it’s easy for you to say you want to improve but most people don’t Enterprises, Inc.
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8. TracyMyers marketing solution
define your
experT brand
The past three articles, I’ve shared the process Here is how we would rephrase the most important of Kipling’s questions for your brand:
I’ve developed to become the “go-to” expert • Who are you? This may be simply your name and an overview of your expertise.
in your highly profitable marketplace. Let’s • What do you do? This explains what you do for people — always in terms of the results
review: people get when they work with you. Never talk about the process or the job title.
1. Understand yourself and your offer. • How do you do it? This is where you explain the process of working with people — for
2. Understand your market and what they example, it may be that you set up an initial meeting or you may arrange weekly coaching
want. sessions over six months.
3. Match your expertise to your perfect • Why should I buy from you? This is important — you need to give people specific reasons
market. why you are the right person to meet their needs.
These are the key questions in defining your brand, but the other two questions can be important too.
Now that you’ve identified what makes you
special and have learned what your market is Answering the question about “when” describes your availability. This is most important if
looking for, it’s time to start developing your you have some element of exclusivity, such as a waiting list for your services, or they are only
expert brand. available at fixed times (such as training courses).
When you have a strong expert brand, you will The “where” question is about how people get in touch with you — it may be simply a Website
stand out from the competition. When people address, or an office, or it may be the types of places you advertise.
need your product or service, they will quickly
This process may seem simple and the explanations can be short. However, these are important
see that you are exactly the expert they are
questions that help you clarify who your customers are and how you can help them. Most
looking for to give them what they want.
importantly, it helps you understand — and explain to your customers — why they should do
business with you.
Your expert brand needs to answer the
questions that a prospective customer will Getting the right answers to these questions can help you define a powerful expert brand. It’s
have in their mind about you. The 19th-century important to note that these answers are designed to help you establish whether a potential
English poet Rudyard Kipling had a good way customer is right for you as much as to persuade them to work with you. If they can relate to the
of identifying the key questions you need to way you are positioning what you do, there may be a great fit.
ask. He wrote:
On the other hand, it helps you avoid wasting time with people who are not looking for what you
“I keep six honest serving-men (They taught are offering.
me all I knew); Their names are What and Why
Being able to work with your ideal clients is not only more fun — it will also be more successful.
and When And How and Where and Who.”
People who are in tune with the way you work will get better results.
If you can give good answers to these Tracy Myers, C.M.D. is a noted small business marketing and branding solutions specialist,
questions about your business, you have the best-selling author, speaker, car dealership owner and entrepreneur. He can be contacted at
building blocks of a strong expert brand. 866.860.0029, or by e-mail at tmyers@autosuccessonline.com.
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10. JohnBrentlinger leadership solution
whaT would fooTball
have To do wiTh
selling cars?
I was thinking about football this weekend how bad that would be — there would be no football on TV. It would be the most ridiculous,
— no idea why — and I got to thinking about stupidest, mess anyone this side of Jim Brown and Ernie Green has ever seen.
what a coach once said: “Training is 99 percent
of everything.” No TV studio in their right mind would televise it. Why? Because no one would ever watch it. No
one would buy a ticket, and the stands would be empty. Why? Because it would suck, horribly.
Let me repeat that please: “Training is 99 Anyone out there in Manager Eyejacking Land catching the drift yet?
percent of everything.”
If training is 99 percent of everything, what does that say about the car business in general?
Now, let’s break that statement down into Right. No one would ever buy a ticket or fill a seat. Why? Because the game is horrible. In the
small parts. A football team, any football team, car business, we train for 60 minutes and play for 60 hours a week. Every week, every month,
plays the game for 60 minutes. Sixty minutes, every year. And then we wonder why nothing has changed for the last 50 years.
and they train and practice, oh, let’s round it
off at 60 hours a week for the pros. If you want Good month, bad month. Hire and fire. Terrible turnover. Blame the salespeople. Keep managers
to talk high school, it’s probably more like 20 who won’t train their people. Sixty to 70 hours a week. Open longer hours. Build a bigger lot.
hours a week. Streamers on light poles. Greeters. Updated show rooms. Make it up in the volume. Blah, blah
blah, on and on it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.
Are you getting the picture yet? A high school
Why all the mess? Because we are training an hour a week and playing the game for 60 hours a
team trains 20 times more than they play the
week. No wonder things are the way they are.
game. A professional team trains 60 times (a
week) more than they play the game. So, I was thinking about football this weekend, and I remembered what a coach once said. He
said, “Training is 99 percent of everything.”
Think about this: What if they trained for 60
minutes a week, and played the game for 60
hours? How bad would that be? You want to John Brentlinger is a sales and management trainer, executive coach and author. He can be
know how bad that would be? I’ll tell you contacted at 866.859.6504, or by e-mail at jbrentlinger@autosuccessonline.com.
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12. When it comes to inventory marketing best
practices, Gibson Truck World in Sanford,
Florida has so many, we had to omit several
from this article to fit this space. With sales
topping 1,800 units annually, 65 employees,
and $7 million in inventory on 14 acres,
Gibson is the largest used truck dealership in
the world and ranks No. 18 of independent
dealers in the U.S.*
Impressive, to be sure, but what’s more
impressive is how they sustain these numbers.
The biggest clue lies in the fact that a
whopping 60 percent of their sales result from Of course, that won’t impress someone who never visits the dealership, but no matter, as
referrals and repeat customers. approximately 25 percent of Gibson’s sales still come from buyers outside Florida. Perhaps
it’s because they offer an unbelievable 12-month, bumper-to-bumper warranty valid across the
Gibson’s sales staff spends a good portion of continental United States, 12 months of free maintenance, and a 15-day return policy.
their time with every customer establishing
trust. To that point, about 10 percent of sales “The majority of our out-of-state customers are so confident in Gibson Truck World that they
each month are from buyers who never wire us payment without ever setting foot in the dealership or personally seeing the truck until
physically come to the dealership. In fact, in the we ship it to them,” said Belanger.
last two years, they’ve shipped cars to virtually
every European country, most of the Caribbean Building such an organization is a seven-day-a-week job for Belanger, who is not only the
Islands and as far away as New Zealand. president of the dealership, but also does all of the truck buying, is the shop service manager,
general manager and supervises operations for the entire dealership, including sales, body shop,
“We assure our customers that the safety and parts, detailing and marketing.
security of their family is our top priority,” said
owner Yves Belanger. “But it’s not just a motto They also create a personality for every vehicle, even naming them. Projecting that personality
— we spend more than $250,000 per month is easier with the addition of a full-time videographer on staff (in addition to a full-time
inspecting and servicing our trucks, and I want photographer) to film live video walk-a-rounds for all trucks.
shoppers to see that in action. I want them to
see a virtual used truck factory busy at work.” “Our videographer shows off each vehicle’s best assets and adds a great deal of energy and
emotion to each video,” said Stockman. “Our nationwide warranty and the live video walk-a-
To show off the organization standing behind rounds are what make an out-of-state shopper feel comfortable enough to call us to purchase a
each truck’s warranty (which is impressive, truck over the phone. The combination shows we have nothing to hide and that the truck in the
but we’ll get to that), a tour of the service photos is actually the real truck on the lot.”
department is mandatory with every customer.
Gibson’s “Disaster Prevention Center” (service At first glance, a live videographer sounds like quite an investment, but Belanger says it paid
department) is comprised of 25 bays, eight off immediately. “Since adding live video, our video views exploded, and our Website traffic
technicians, one alignment specialist, one tire increased 10 percent, which in turn increased our sales,” he said. Links to samples of Gibson
specialist, one assistant shop manager, one shop Truck World’s live videos are at the end of this article.
foreman, three parts and service writers, and one
service advisor, plus detailers and body shop Using Video Online’s live video upload and distribution modules, Gibson then automatically
techs — totaling half of Gibson’s 65 employees sends videos everywhere their inventory goes that accepts video — 40 sites in all — including
— all ensuring that each customer gets the their own Website, YouTube, Facebook, AutoTrader.com, Cars.com and Oodle.
highest quality truck at the lowest price available.
To reach buyers from around the corner and around the country, Gibson invests in establishing
And get this: They don’t do general service. an online presence for their inventory, including shooting photos before and after prep. Posting a
All after-sale service is reserved for customers vehicle online takes Stockman on average about five minutes per truck and first occurs with the
who purchased their truck at Gibson and it is “before” photos the day it arrives from auction to gain valuable online exposure for the vehicle
still under warranty. even while it is in prep.
Before it is sold, however, each truck gets a full The VIN is sent via automatic feed from their DMS to HomeNet’s IOL Inventory Marketing
135-point inspection, a diagnostics test and a solution, which normalizes and enhances the raw DMS data. Once the truck is listed in IOL Pro,
frame damage check using a tram gauge. Trucks each truck then gets a comprehensive description specifying the truck’s hottest features.
they reject are posted on their REJECTS page
of their Website (URL at the end of this article), Every vehicle description is fresh and creative, which also helps to set Gibson apart. “We have some
complete with photos, VIN numbers and, in pretty unique Monster trucks, and since our inventory is unusual, we physically touch every detail of
many cases, actual estimates showing the cost the truck so we know exactly what to say about what makes that truck special,” Stockman said.
of repairs to bring it up to certification.
Each morning, Belanger and Stockman review each new truck’s options, what size and brand of
“I love it when we find one of our rejects on new tires the truck is going to receive, add-ons (such as off-road tires or a lift kit) and warranty
another dealership’s site listed as ‘Absolutely information, so Stockman can accurately create the vehicle description. A few days later, after the
flawless, inside and out!’ You can be sure truck has been serviced and detailed, her staff puts all of the warranty stickers on the windshield,
we post that, too,” said Angela Stockman, re-takes all the photos, shoots a live video walk-around, enters all the shop bills into the vehicle
the marketing director and Internet wizard description, including brand new tires, brake job, rotors, drums, LOF, etc. (all the work that has
executing Gibson’s online initiatives. been completed on the truck), scans in any MSRP sheets, makes truck comparison photos and
then exports all the updated information online with IOL.
Two years ago, Gibson wanted to showcase
some of the parts they’ve replaced on trucks Unlike many dealers, however, Stockman is discerning about where she exports Gibson’s
to get them to certification, so they lined up inventory. “We try to match the Website with our inventory, exporting to sites that
50-gallon drum containers full of thousands perform consistently well for those makes and models, like AutoTrader.com, Cars.com,
of old worn out tie rods, ball joints, rotors CommercialTruckTrader.com, AutoShopper.com, eBay Motors, craigslist, Oodle and OVE.com,”
and brake pads that have been removed and she said. And where their inventory performs well, Gibson makes an investment in add-ons for
replaced with new ones. their listings. For instance, they rank in the Top 50 of all dealers on AutoTrader.com.

13. Gibson Truck World employs the
following HomeNet products to help
them sustain their No. 1 ranking:
• Inventory Online (IOL Pro) Vehicle
Belanger says he also uses the same philosophy when it comes to traditional advertising. Marketing Suite with IOL Hosting
In addition to print ads in Commercial Truck Trader, Gibson ads appear regularly in Sports and CARFAX and AutoCheck
Horse magazine and Horse-n-Tack. integration
Gibson uses IOL Posting 2.0 to list its inventory on eBay Local Market with professional- • AdLogic – image and text ad
looking display pages, and they have notable success there, too, attributing on average 75 of generator for every vehicle in
units each year to eBay alone. inventory to post throughout the
In addition, Stockman almost always lists Gibson’s wholesale vehicles online. “Since we Google ad network
will ship worldwide,” she said, “and we can list a truck simultaneously listed for retail and • IOL eBay Local Advertising Program
wholesale right from IOL, it makes it very easy to move inventory.” with no flat monthly fees
When it comes to social media, Gibson Truck World understands the importance of building • IOL Oodle Pro with Facebook
community first and foremost. On Facebook, for instance, they have their inventory separated Marketplace
out from their dealership fan page (it resides under the “Inventory” tab of their Facebook
page), so it doesn’t clog the newsfeeds of their fans. More importantly, however, they are • IOL Posting 2.0 eBay and Craigslist
integrated with Facebook Marketplace, vastly widening their entire inventory’s exposure to the display page generator
15 million monthly users of Facebook Marketplace, not just their fan base.
• Video Online with Human Voiceover
Otherwise, Stockman uses their Facebook page and Twitter account to build trust and and Live Video
engage fans with truck news, announcements of pet adoption days they host (and they do
this regularly, even devoting a page on their Website to animals waiting for a home at a local • OPENLANE and SmartAuction
rescue), cook-outs, maintenance tips and even local yard sales. wholesale add-on
Gibson Truck World also recently purchased AdLogic from HomeNet, For a full description of each of these
which automatically generates an image or text ad for each piece of
active inventory to display throughout the Google Ad Network of a
products and how they can help you,
million sites, based on the search terms the shopper used. please visit www.HomeNetAuto.com.
“What makes AdLogic so effective is its content-driven, meaning an URLs Referenced:
in-market consumer who is reading about the new Ford F-150 SVT
Raptor on MotorTrend.com would be presented with a Gibson ad Gibson Truck World:
showing a late model Ford F-150 truck from our lot,” Belanger said. www.GibsonTruckWorld.com
“Clicking on it takes them to that piece of inventory on our Website
where they see the live video walk-a-round, our warranty, and our
$1,000 price guarantee, and then we’ve got them.”
Gibson’s Truck Rejects Page:
www.gibsontruckworld.com/
And all of this is paying off, big time. Belanger said, “Our message has always been ‘We anotherdealerscheapimitation.aspx
have the best trucks at the best price,’ and then everything we do — absolutely everything —
ensures that’s true. In the end, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on advertising and bling, Gibson’s live video walk-a-rounds:
if you don’t have the best product when the customer gets to the dealership, you don’t have www.HomeNetAuto.com/Gibson
a sale. An educated consumer is our best customer. In fact, customers tell us that we come so
highly recommended that they don’t even look at other dealers; they just come straight to us.”
*2011 Auto Dealer Monthly Top Dealer Awards
For more information about the dealership presented, or HomeNet, contact Gretchen
Kennedy, the Director of Marketing. She can be contacted at 866.483.2750, or by e-mail at
gkennedy@autosuccessonline.com.

14. HeatherMacKinnon marketing solution
adopT The digiTal-age equivalenT
of The evidence manual To aTTracT
more cusTomers and close deals
I would guess that you’ve all seen the three- in Peoria, Arizona, will tell you that employee-specific reviews make a significant difference
ring binders known as “Evidence Manuals” in a customer’s decision. Although some of their sales associates are more proactive in getting
on the desks of your sales associates or reviews than others, every Arrowhead Honda sales associate and service advisor maintains a
service writers. The typical dealer employee’s separate review page that displays an individual employee picture and biography. This dealer has
Evidence Manual contains letters of fostered one particular champion in its sales department who asks all of his customers to write
recommendation from existing customers as a review upon delivery, and who has also added a QR Code to his electronic business card that
well as pictures or personal information about links to his specific review page.
them. Dealer employees rely on Evidence
Manuals as a useful tool to make themselves Many Arrowhead sales associates use their review pages as a key differentiator when negotiating
look good and help validate what they are with customers by adding the link to their e-mail signature. In addition, several sales associates
offering a customer when already in the have created business Facebook pages with a link to their individual review pages attached
showroom or service department. Consider each time they get a new review. On the service side, the dealer’s service advisors rely on their
the influence that an Evidence Manual would employee-specific review pages as a collective place for accolades (a.k.a. the Evidence Manual).
have on a prospect who has never yet visited Arrowhead Honda works hard to ensure that potential consumers find positive reviews on staff
your dealership. In fact, your prospective and has seen the benefits. Customers have come to the showroom and asked to purchase from a
customers can have access to the digital-age particular salesperson based on that salesperson’s review page.
equivalent of an Evidence Manual in the form
of online reviews. As another example, visit Hyundai of St. Augustine and you’ll see how that dealership uses
employee-specific reviews. All sales associates commonly display their individual customer
Third-party online reviews at the employee-
online reviews on their desktops so that prospective customers can casually read their customer
level have considerable influence on your
reviews while waiting and working with associates. Each sales associate is expected to generate
prospects. Employee-specific reviews can
a minimum of three reviews per month. Many of the Hyundai of St. Augustine’s customers
serve as a powerful tool in persuading
customers to visit your store while passing up acknowledge that they have chosen Hyundai of St. Augustine when purchasing a car given the
other local dealers. Just like the old three-ring level of trust and credibility that they gain from reading employees’ online reviews.
binder, dealer employees can utilize a personal
online review page to bring down the barriers key Takeaways regarding employee reviews
of distrust that exist in this business as well Consider promoting an “employee-review” culture at your dealership as these reviews will
as to differentiate themselves from the other enable your dealership to:
salespeople and/or service writers with whom • Bring down the barriers of distrust and persuade more customers to visit your store while
their customer may be communicating. passing up other local dealers.
• Adopt the digital-age equivalent of the three-ring bound “Evidence Manual” and hyperlink a
Some car dealer review sites offer prospect into an employee’s “Evidence Manual” even before they enter the store.
comprehensive, employee-specific review • Increase your organic search engine results with each unique review page URL indexing into
pages where you can include a personal bio Google.
and photograph for each dealer staff member. • Ensure your sales and service team has some “skin in the game” with employee-specific
Employees are able to build andSet-Up & Training • review pages.Compliance
Chargeback Guarantee • Full showcase their Guaranteed Get your FREE copy of the“15 Keys to
respective reviews on these pages and also link • Build reviews faster as your sales team views each newVolume & Profitability.”
Boosting Sales review as an opportunity to get a
them back to the employee profile section on phone up or improve lead to show and closing ratios.
the dealer’s own Website. No obligation. Send an E-mail to
Take advantage of this win-win scenario knowing that every new review forin the subject
info@gamarketing.com. Put “KEYS” the employee or
Keep in mind, a review for your employee department “champion” is a new review for the store. it right out!
line and we’ll send
represents a review for the dealership; so, (866) 460-0539
as you build “champions” in your 1995.and
The Staffed Event Leader Since sales Accountability. Reputation. Results.
If you are not using employee-specific review pages to generate “review” champions in your
www.gamarketing.com
service departments, you can expect your sales or service departments, you are missing out on a powerful closing tool as well as the
dealership review counts to soar. opportunity to differentiate yourself from competitor dealers and drive more traffic to the store.
dealers reap the benefits with
employee reviews
Many dealers are using employee-unique Heather MacKinnon is the vice president of sales at DealerRater. She can be contacted at
reviews to their advantage. Arrowhead Honda 866.488.8398, or by e-mail at hmackinnon@autosuccessonline.com.
Thanks to great dealers with exceptional Get your FREE copy of the“15 Keys to
Boosting Sales Volume & Profitability.”
reputations, 2011 has been a record-breaking
year for us and our clients. Never have our No obligation. E-mail to
info@gamarketing.com. Put
dealers enjoyed higher gross profit per event “KEYS” in the subject line and
or more units sold per event. Thank you! we’ll send it right out!
Accountability. Reputation. Results. Since 1995. (866) 460-0539. gamarketing.com
14 autosuccessonline.com

16. PeterBond marketing solution
hone your adverTising To
hiT The narrow TargeT
There’s a question you should ask yourself the immediate crash course and they need to grasp the new thinking and the educated consumer to
next time you’re deciding on how to spend compete in this day and age.
your advertising budget. Keeping in mind that
around two percent of the population is in the Let’s put this into real-world terms. Let’s assume my market area has 250,000 adults residing
market to buy a vehicle at any given time, why in my area of dominant influence and only two percent of all these folks are in the market for a
would any reasonable thinking person spend new or used vehicle at any given time. My goal would first be to let all those 5,000 people in the
100 percent of their advertising and marketing market realize I exist. Keep in mind, by the way, that I must also do this on a consistent basis
budget to reach that narrow target? because there are always 5,000 people in the market to buy vehicles every day.
The next question that comes to mind is “What We then need to understand “What makes the buyer’s clock tick?” There are only five decisions
forms of advertising to that two percent of in- in a sale:
market buyers is effective, and how do we get • Do they have a want or need for a vehicle?
a huge number of those people to respond to • What brand does the consumer prefer?
our offers?” Once you understand the buying • Is it the right time to buy?
public, you can begin to answer that question. • Which dealership should they choose?
Business is not as usual, and today’s consumer • How much do they have to spend on this vehicle?
is not cut from the same cloth as they were in
their last trade cycle. Consumers have advanced That’s it. Our advertising must accomplish the answers to all of these buying decisions. Next,
in their knowledge and information in just the decide on which vehicles on your floor to focus your time and effort on advertising. Let’s use the
past few years. Dealers must understand this or “one-third, one-third, one-third” technique. Assume you have a total of 24 models in your new
they will quickly cease to exist. vehicle department. Take your top one-third models, and you will quickly discover that around
75 percent of the inventory you sell resides in these eight top models. The middle eight models
Today’s customer is more experienced in you offer comprises about 15 percent of your sales volume and the remaining eight models
many ways, has increased knowledge and probably comprise less than 10 percent of your offered vehicles for sale. So, which eight vehicles
information, has a much higher level of in our example do you think you should focus your advertising efforts on?
consumer awareness and has a heightened
ability to negotiate with this new-found and In advertising, there are basics that cannot be ignored. Any ad must get attention. You must
readily accessible information. Brand loyalty then cite a value, and then create urgency. Finally you must ask for a phone call or visit. This is
— in both foreign and domestic vehicles — is critical. It backs up the only five decisions in a sale, which, as we said, are want or need, timing,
at an all-time low. The Internet is a resource brand, source and pricing. It seems logical, but dealers across this nation miss the fundamental
to everyone thanks to Google and many message with consistency.
other resources. Dealers do not generally
understand the full effect of the Internet Peter Bond is the president of Automotive Resource Group. He can be contacted at
in today’s market place. Dealers need an 866.447.0238, or by e-mail at pbond@autosuccessonline.com.
16 autosuccessonline.com

17. Providing The
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lanes, and onsite previews promote your vehicles’ full value for high retentions.
Contact us or visit www.iaai-advantage.com to learn more about IAA’s Live Advantage!
remarketing Center
888.839.4220 • 207.426.9034 (Fax)
groupnrC@iaai.com www.iaai.com
one Car one difference turns donated vehicles into charity dollars.
Make a difference in 2011 – visit 1car1difference.com
© 2011 Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. All rights reserved.
the #1 sales-improvement magazine for the automotive professional 17

18. JohnNorman sales training solution
cusTomer
relaTionships 101
Nothing is more valuable than our of lost opportunities. When we lose a relationship it’s never with just one customer.
relationships. It has been said that the quality
of our lives is directly related to the number Dealerships don’t have relationships. People at the dealership have relationships. Automotive
of meaningful relationships we maintain. sales professionals need to focus on building and maintaining relationships with customers that
Relationships see us through the toughest generate loyalty, positive word-of-mouth and referrals. This has got to be “the message.” Our
of times and make the best of times truly society and culture has become so inwardly focused that most of us have little to no relationship-
enjoyable. Few would argue the validity of building skills. The majority of our relationships are self-serving relationships of convenience.
these statements, but fewer still invest time in We think in terms of “others can win – now, only if I can win - now”. It really is an “every man
building meaningful relationships. Mutually for himself” mentality, and these shallow relationships yield very little beyond the short term and
beneficial relationships do not happen by create a “survival of the shrewdest” culture at the dealership.
chance; they are the product of right intentions
and sincere actions. Similar to the way good To overcome this anti-customer relationship mentality, management has to model and teach
real estate investments “appreciate in value,” effective relationship-building skills. We have to believe that, above everything else, the
the best relationships appreciate in value as relationship with the customer is king. If management is going to sell this to the “front line”
well, and both require time and maintenance to they must lead by example and demonstrate this value throughout the dealership. It has to
maximize the value and avoid liabilities. come from the top-down and become the organization’s culture. The best way for management
to model this value is to invest time and resources in their relationships with their “internal
The most rewarding relationships first fulfill customers” — the sales professionals and employees — who will be building relationships with
needs or desires and, second, create a since the “external customers” — the buyers. If salespeople feel that management could care less about
of value in the participating parties (both their personal growth and success, why would they be motivated to build relationships with the
feel truly appreciated). This is no less true dealership’s customers that will produce growth and success?
in business. The customer has a need, and
the business and its employees have needs. The two most important factors in determining the value of any relationship is the quantity
The two come together — a transaction takes of time invested in the relationship and the quality of bilateral communication within the
place and both needs are met. Obviously, relationship. It is impossible to build loyal customer relationships that generate repeat and
this is the basis of any business; however, it referral business without these two ingredients.
is not the basis for creating a loyal customer
base, especially in the highly competitive lesson 1: obligate Through Time investment
automotive business. Customers have almost Nothing makes customers (internal and external) feel more appreciated than taking the time to
unlimited options when it comes to getting demonstrate a genuine interest in them — their needs, concerns, likes and dislikes. When we are
what they need or want in transportation. So made to feel valuable, we feel obligated to produce value, i.e. repeat and referral customers.
dealerships must be sincerely intentional and
lesson 2: create matching expectations with clear communication
doggedly proactive in pursuing a relationship
with its customers. Nothing endangers a valuable relationship more than unmatched expectations. We must take the
time to fully understand what our customer’s expectations are. If they are unrealistic we must
Buyers do not go to dealerships looking have the courage to tell the customer so in advance. Otherwise the integrity of the relationships
for a “relationship.” They go looking for will undoubtedly be compromised. Once we are certain that the customer’s expectations and the
what they need or want at a price they can dealership’s are the same the table is set to create trust that is necessary for the long-term success
afford. However, when they encounter a of the relationship.
sales professional who truly values them as
These two lessons are the cornerstones for building valuable relationships. It’s hard work, and
a person and delivers a buying experience
there is always a risk that our time and energy will not be appreciated by the recipient. But just
they truly enjoy, the ground becomes
like a long-term investment strategy in the stock market has proven itself time and time again so,
“fertile soil” for planting repeat and referral
too, will a long-term investment strategy in relationships with the customers who help us meet
seeds. Valuable relationships grow and
our needs by giving us an opportunity to serve them.
produce other valuable relationships. When
relationships deteriorate and stagnate, they John Norman is the chief operating officer of Prospex Promotions Inc. He can be
become a liability and begin to cost in terms contacted at 866.514.9991, or by e-mail at jnorman@autosuccessonline.com.
18 autosuccessonline.com