If you haven’t already done so, it’s that time to review your 2012 performance in detail. In what areas did you fall short of your goals and why? Where could you have generated greater gains and how? Don’t allow January to slip by without these facts in writing and a discussion of how you can best move forward in 2013.

A common F&I pay plan in the automotive industry is known as the grid. It compensates managers based on their per vehicle retail performance and products sold…

I watched a fun video on dealerelite this morning that had a fantastic message about ignoring when another salesperson says 'that guy's been here before' and having the confidence to go and serve that customer and sell them a vehicle in spite of the other salesperson's shortcomings. SO TRUE. 

Something about the video, and many other videos, bothered the hell out of me so I thought, what the heck, let's talk about it!…

There seems to be a lot of confusion in our industry about when to sell preventative maintenance. I mean let's face it, the factories just don't recommend much anymore because a low maintenance vehicle is very attractive to buyers. While this is great for marketing and selling cars, it is creating a lot of confusion in Service Departments across the…

If you are not making the progress you would like to make and are capable of making, it is simply because your goals are not clearly defined. 

Write down your goals and review them every morning and every evening.  At the end of the week or month you will be amazed how much you have accomplished! 

General Sales Manager Gives Strategic Advice To Automotive Sales Professionals -…

If you work at an automobile delaership in parts of Pa, NJ or DE you might have encountered me in the last 4 months, entering your dealerships with complimentary copies of a book in hand, The Secrets of Inspirational Selling.

Please allow me to introduce myself, I am Lois Burak and new to the automobile industry. I know this sounds a little like an introduction one makes in front of a self-help group, but ironically in this very lucrative industry helping your self is…

Stumbleupon is one of the most interesting social media sites around, and by interesting, I mean it is a complete and total time-sink. Essentially, it's a toolbar that has a "Stumble" button you can press that will bring you to a random page on the web based on your interests. You can also upvote and downvote pages, which is how Stumbleupon gets better at finding stuff that you'll like. If something isn't already ON Stumbleupon when you vote on it, you'll be given the option to add it. This…

There is plenty of vanilla out there. As someone who explores various social media campaigns, techniques, and strategies on a daily basis, it gets pretty boring seeing the same old things being spun in slightly different ways. When something truly fresh comes along, I normally applaud.

When I saw Fiat's attempt at being bold on YouTube, I had to watch it again. And again. Each subsequent…

Do you know what kind of population is in your area?

What is the crime rate where your dealership is located?

What is the percentage of households with college grads?

What areas have a high average household income and what areas have a low average…

Contrary: opposed, opposite in nature, altogether different.

Several Indian tribes had warrior societies called Contraries or Contrary Warriors. The contraries were different in nature as well as actions, and were thought to be wise men. While being in the automobile business my whole adult life, I have observed and been a student of some of the more successful dealers in the business and have found that a lot of those dealers take a contrarian approach to their…

For the past 40-something years, a German Wolf Researcher named Werner Freund has operated a wolf sanctuary in Saarland, Germany, where he has personally raised more than 70 animals.

In 1972, Freund acquired the land to build his Wolfspark as a loan from the city of Merzig. The reserve currently houses 29 Mongolian and Arctic wolves. Most of the  wolves were acquired from zoos…

Shoppers are looking at MORE MODELS in their quest for a new car, according to the annual "Avoider Study" by J.D. Powers. Their 2013 data show buyers consider an average of 2.13 new vehicles during their shopping cycle, up from 3.1 in 2012 and 2.9 in 2011.…

Are you good enough?  The answer, of course is NO!  No one is actually as good as they could be.  I believe that every one, in every profession, has room for improvement.  Think of the best of the best in any profession you choose, and I can assure you they have room or improvement.  It may seem like they have some god given talent and are as good as it gets, and they may be the best, but they still could be better.

Let's use sports as an example.  Name the best player in your…

I'm going to give this out in our sales meeting on Saturday. Whoever can close the deal with the highest gross gets the prize. What do you think the best close will look like?

Mr. & Mrs. Jones have a 2009 Infinity M35 with 72,000 that they are looking to trade that is financed with BOA. Their Beacon score is 710. They have very little down payment money to work with and they are trying to keep their payments in the same payment range that they are paying now which is $435…

Handling Manufacturer Communications

Mike Charapp, Author, Auto Dealer Law

With NADA quickly approaching and franchise meetings on the horizon with OEMs, the time is now for dealerships to familiarize themselves with how to respond to factory communications. Some dealers feel that it is not important to respond to communications from a franchisor. “What good will it do?” they reason. This is dangerous thinking. While you…

“Doctor, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“Certainly, Joan.  Please, lie down on the couch.  Now what’s disturbing you?”

“I keep having this dream.  I don’t understand it.”

“Go on.”

“Well it’s kind of fuzzy, but it has something to do with CSI.”

“Interesting.  New York?  Las Vegas? . . . Miami?”

“No, it’s not like…

Today's Up To Speed article is contributed by Dave Anderson, president of Dave Anderson's Learn to Lead, an international sales and leadership training and consulting company. Prior to beginning Learn To Lead, Dave enjoyed an extensive and successful career in the automotive retail industry

Self-esteem is defined by the dictionary as: a realistic respect for or…

There is no question these days that your dealer site is one of the most valuable resources in your digital marketing toolbox. From your site, you have the ability to reach your largest traffic source and cater your message from page to page to meet the needs of individuals, groups and communities…