Automotive Marketing Professional Community Blogs

• Fast vs First to Market
  In a business where speed wins, first steps can lose.   Reasoning being—the distinct possibility—like is the case in any race—that you could jump the gun. Sure, creating a market sounds exciting, but in today’s fragmented, isolated marketplace, it’s going to be tougher and tougher to do.   Look at the advantages that Netflix secured in being first to market. […]
  Jim Flint
• How Will Robots Affect Driver Safety?
  Several manufacturers, including Tesla, have rolled out some “innovative” features that include self-driving technology. At first glance, consumers like this type of vehicle technology because it typically means that these vehicles are fuel-efficient, use advanced technologically and are, frankly, cool. However, there are hazards involved with this advanced […]
  Dan Beres
• Lease Credit Approvals Dip Slightly To 68.9% in August
  Lease Approval Ratings Drop Slightly in August Following Increase in July Swapalease.com, the nation’s largest car lease marketplace, reports car lease credit applicants registered a 68.9% approval rate in August, a slight dip from the July rate of 69.1%.   August experienced a higher number of applicants with qualifications for taking over another person’s […]
  John Sternal
• SureSale Certified Increases Used Vehicle Sales and Turn Rates for North Carolina Dealership
  New case study shows how Reed-Lallier Chevrolet leveraged this one-of-a-kind CPO program to increase used vehicle sales 30% YOY as local market saw declines[1]   Los Angeles, CA – September 18, 2019 – SureSale Certified today released a new case study conducted with North Carolina’s Reed-Lallier Chevrolet that offers a compelling snapshot of how one dealersh […]
  Crystal Hartwell
• Stop being lead-centric. It’s about the customer experience.
  Today’s customers expect and demand an amazing customer experience. The dealership with the right vehicle and the best experience will ultimately win the business. To deliver the best experience possible, you must maintain expertise about your customers and their shopping behavior.   The average consumer today visits only one or two dealerships before buying […]
  Bill Wittenmyer
• Top 10 Sports Betting Companies in the International Gambling Market 2019
  With the digital revolution in full swing and the simplicity of government regulations on gaming, the sports gambling industry is undergoing dynamic transformations during the last couple of years and consequently surging in popularity around the term, the revenues of several world's leading sports betting companies are also growing significantly year o […]
  Blazho Gjorgiev
• 5 Interview Questions When Hiring a Superstar Event Planner
  There are times when you just cannot plan your own event. Whether you are putting on a car show or teaming up with other auto professionals. From SEMA in Vegas to a sponsored track day marketing events are where you make new business and consumer connections.  Events are where people come from abroad to celebrate their favorite cars.  For one, there is simpl […]
  Kara Masterson
• Use Data to Improve the Customer Experience
  When we think of using customer data, it’s often in the context of marketing. I’ve written previously on how data can be used to drive action and build better relationships with customers by sending them the right message on the right channel at the right time.   But customer data has another important use that’s underutilized in dealerships. When a service […]
  Courtney Evans
• How automakers are dealing with air quality issues
  Automakers are constantly looking for new ways to boost their productivity and to improve their workers’ efficiency. But as they do it, they have to make sure that they are providing a safe work environment for their employees. Most of the times, auto manufacturers have difficulties in maintaining the high indoor air quality in the facilities where they asse […]
  Cynthia Madison
• What Dak’s Contract Means
  Tom Brady makes $15 million per year. A few months ago Dak Prescott turned down $30 million a year. Financially speaking then he’s at least 2x the value or the player Brady. Not necessarily. Analytics matter in today’s competitive industries.  Touchdowns. Interceptions. QBR. Percentage of completions. The numbers are endless, but let’s focus on percent of sa […]
  Jim Flint
• Spoiled Rotten Customers
  Instant gratification is the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay or deferment. Basically, it's the Veruca Salt complex. Whatever you want, you want it now. Businesses that embrace solutions designed to satisfy human impulsiveness will thrive. Those who resist making the necessary adaptations and continue to force customers through […]
  Christine Plunkett
• Sanity for Safety Recall Madness
  First-of-Its-Kind Reference Guide and User’s Manual from AutoAp Addresses ‘Cancerous Grave Risk’ Overwhelming Auto Industry AutoAp, the foremost vehicle safety-recall, monitoring, intelligence and reporting company, announced today availability of Safety Recalls: Think You’re Covered? – Mitigate Your Liability and Increase Profitability, a most-timely and in […]
  Jim Leman
• Auto Loan & Lease Origination Data Through April 2019
  Here is the most recent auto loan and lease origination data and trends from Equifax.    Key Highlights: The percent of subprime to the total originations is at the lowest point since 2011 (currently at 20.7%).   Auto Loan Originations Observations reported through April 2019 7.96 million auto loans, totaling $183.9 billion were originated year-to-date. This […]
  John Sternal
• First or Fifth? What’s Your FQR?
  If you ain’t first you’re last.  I never would have thought that any valuable internet sales training information would result from a Will Ferrell movie, but here we are. Reese Bobby got it right when he mused that being FIRST is all that matters. Especially when we’re trying to convince skeptical car shoppers to part with forty grand for a hunk of metal wit […]
  Christine Plunkett
• How to Build a Human Firewall
  Cyberattacks are on the rise. In the first six months of 2019, the number of data breaches has increased by 54% compared to the same period last year. As of July, more than 4.1 billion customer records have been exposed in approximately 3,800 publicly disclosed data breaches.   If your dealership hasn’t already been targeted, chances are it will be. What can […]
  Erik Nachbahr, CISSP
• Cooking Google’s Golden Goose - What we Know of Google’s Behavior
  SEO and SEM are used interchangeably by the novice marketer and the unknowing client. SEM and PPC are used interchangeably by the adept agency and experienced client-side marketer. This separation of church and state is starting to blend. It used to be that organic and paid search were undeniably, uniquely different. Certainly, that was one key to Google […]
  Jim Flint
• Auto/Mate Integrates DMS with Text2Drive Text Messaging Platform
  Albany, N.Y. – September 9, 2019 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today it has successfully completed all dealership management system (DMS) integrations with Text2Drive, an advanced two-way text messaging platform designed to help dealers improve the customer experience, increase profitability and raise CSI scores. Auto/Mate's dealership custom […]
  Mike Esposito
• Auto Dealership Buy/Sell Market Slows Slightly, Still on Pace for Sixth 200+ Transaction Year; Blue Sky Valuations Stabilize with Dealership Earnings Improvement
  Buy/sell market continues strong year with 49 completed transactions in Q2 2019; global trade war brings investors to market; dealership business model proves resilience with increased gross profit, according to Q2 2019 The Blue Sky Report® by Kerrigan Advisors     Irvine, CA –September 9th, 2019 – The 2019 auto dealership buy/sell market stayed steady and o […]
  Crystal Hartwell
• Video is Everywhere!
  There are a huge number of travelers on domestic flights each year. Southwest Airlines, not unlike others, offers these passengers paid wi-fi, but, more importantly, in-flight entertainment. The standard of that entertainment has changed immensely over the years. In the not too distant past, flight attendants collected discarded newspapers and magazines and […]
  Timmy D. James
• PROTECTIVE ASSET PROTECTION INTRODUCES ITS DEALER TRAINING INSTITUTE
  Online Training Program Helps F&I Personnel Better Understand Product Offerings To Elevate Profit and Customer Satisfaction Levels Protective Asset Protection, a provider of F&I programs, services and dealer owned warranty company programs, recognizes the significant importance of ongoing dealer and F&I personnel training with its Training Instit […]
  John Sternal