This common saying is certainly one that everyone knows. And, whether it’s true or not, has endured time. Why? Because someone cooking for you is an intimate act that is satisfying and elicits fond memories. In essence, this act accomplished on a regular basis is supposed to be the recipe (pun intended) to win the love of a man, or woman. The gender of a person has little to…

Over the last year I have visited a lot of dealerships.  I’ve been asking advisors to sell me a product or a service; the results have not been stellar. One dealership in particular only asked for two brake fluid flushes in a twelve month period…After we did a feature benefit presentations on brake flushes,…

Study Shows That Car Shoppers Needs and Preferences Are Ignored in 40% of Dealership Sales

As more and more vehicles tout a range of exciting features, better safety, connectivity and the next best thing in car design, manufacturers and dealers will need to compete on a different sphere – the customer experience. The customer…

When I speak to sales groups, the subject of rejection comes up often during our Q and A sessions. Rejection is a natural part of the business of sales, and it is critically important to learn how to make rejection work in your favor. The way you view rejection will determine how you respond to each "no", "not yet", or "maybe" during your sales career. Your outlook…

There was a time when dealerships hated the internet.  I know, it’s hard to believe. What is interesting is that while most dealerships have learned to embrace the internet, many still feel it is an obstacle to overcome, a nuisance that interferes with the old adage: “Say anything you need to get them in here!” But here’s the deal- I am hearing that people are only…

You have done your research on prices, the best dealers, the car you want and everything else but what about the inspection? The car might look nice on the outside but you never know how good it is in the inside. If you are satisfied with your results after the inspection, don’t be afraid to walkaway. Sometimes even though the car might be cheaper, with all the repairs and maintenance you will have to do, you will be spending money more than you thought. So, inspecting the used car…

Search engine marketing is valuable tool when used correctly. But it's not the be all, end all of digital marketing. You need to be able to step outside of your comfort zone if you want to achieve digital marketing success.



If you haven't already begun experimenting with other tools; now is the time. The first tool you should start with is email marketing. Tap into your current database and gather more information about your customers.

On this episode, Paul explains how you…

Welcome to this week's edition of Black Book Market Insights, with in-depth analysis of used car and truck valuation trends and insights straight from the auction lanes. Click here to download…

Part III: Gather Data to Dominate

Hopefully you’re already convinced social selling has a lot to offer your dealership.  In fact, dealerships that want to win in today’s marketplace will need to get social—and fast—if they want to keep up with the competition.  In addition to building relationships with consumers and becoming a top-of-mind resource, by amping up your social media presence, your dealership can glean plenty of useful data that will come in handy when…

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of June 27

Twitter Adds Live Button

Twitter recently added a new button for both iOS and Android that will allow users to broadcast on Periscope from Twitter.  Now users can go live simply by tapping a button in Twitter—without switching apps.  When starting a new Tweet, users will see…

Tired of boring fixed ops training for your automotive service advisors? sw Service Solutions offers online training sessions that are relevant, innovative and engaging. Check out Fixed Ops University at …

Have you ever considered targeting your sales and service customers simultaneously? Try placing a service offer in with your next sales mailer. I promise you’ll be happy with the results.

Service has become a highly competitive market. Shops now exist on practically every street corner. It’s hard to find a conquest customer who is willing to drive more than…

Timonium, MD – June 27th, 2016-- Helion Automotive Technologies announced today it has received a UCSE Tier 1 Support Certification from ShoreTel, a leading provider of business telephony and Unified Communications (UC) solutions. As a certified ShoreTel partner, Helion is authorized to work with auto dealers to design, program and implement custom UC systems, provide…

At the start of every month, I look back over the last 28-31 days of my life and ask myself, “Did I hustle my tail off? Did I give all my sweat, blood and tears to the goals I was trying to achieve?”

What is your perception of the word “hustle”? Is there a positive or negative thought running through your brain? Many people who have never hustled, view it negatively.…

Are you testing your emails before you send them?

More than 80% of the population use smartphone and other mobile devices. Over 60% of people open their emails on mobile devices. So what is your business doing to adapt to these ever-growing numbers?

In this week’s Hard Facts, Samantha explains that you should not only be A/B testing subject…

Well, you know it’s inevitable.  Eventually some in your dealership will leave, either voluntarily or involuntarily, but will exit nonetheless. Instead of just allowing people to ride off into the sunset, why not invest 5 to 10 minutes with them on the off-chance that you could learn a little something? You…

In my last few blogs, I’ve discussed how to handle recall customers and why dealers should embrace them rather than be afraid of them. We’ve also reviewed new and used car recalls, along with the applicable laws and consequences for any failure to comply. The one area I haven’t yet discussed is recalls in your service drive. Sure, you have customers who know they have a…

Words, both written and spoken, have been the primary form of communication for centuries. We use them to share news and stories, comfort loved ones and to connect with long distance friends.

Then along came social media, which almost instantly transformed society from one which was largely based on local interactions, to a more global community. The written…

The Online Perception

Perhaps Buzz is a bit naive... or... maybe Woody has had a bad experience in the past. (For those of you who don't have have kids, I am referencing the image above.) The bottom line is that you have 2 different characters, with 2 different reactions to the same activity: buying vehicles online.  I selected this image because I think it truly reflects the current state of online remarketing as we continue to transition…