BY KYLIE BANKS

KBANKS@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Jared Schaffer’s time surfing the web paid off in a big way last weekend. By clicking on a link for a 2012 Ford F-150, he was able to save more than $18,000 on a new car.

By the end of Friday, 32 new cars will have been sold at 50 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, courtesy of a promotion by AutoNation Direct and eBay Motors that began March 23. Several more are slated to go on sale Friday, including a…

That kills a General Manager it’s what he doesn’t know!

Those words spoken to me by one of the smartest dealers I ever worked for, Jay Marks, have stayed with me since 1996. Same principal applies in every position of the dealership but particularly in marketing.

Let’s face it Marketing is quickly becoming a…

I often get some ribbing about my efforts with Social Media and many times find myself defending my beliefs in the value of the time invested. I realize this business that I love so much is still pretty top heavy with dinosaurs so I mostly let it all roll off my back, although at times I think if I can ‘get it’ as a 40 something year old car guy with over 25 years at this why can’t my fellow managers have at least a LITTLE open mindedness to Social?  Recently I had an experience that fully…

As it turns out, many people won’t tell a dealership directly how well salespeople at a dealership are doing – unless they’ve done a great job.  If they haven’t done well, they’re going to spread the word online and bash that dealership.

…and that’s good news for YOUR dealership.  (WHAT?)

Bad Online Reviews: Turning other…

I am going to equate the sales process to flying an airplane. Too many times we focus on the “in air” process. That’s right we put so much of our attention on the presentation and though it is important, not enough emphasis is placed on the opening and the close. This results in lower closing ratios and missed opportunities.

I think we would…

Dealers United Announces First Deal for Members: SEO Services from KPA

KPA beat out more than 30 other SEO vendors to be given the opportunity to present their best offer to Dealers United members.…

Every few months, I read articles or hear at a conference about how search engine optimization is dead. I've heard these statements for the last 5 years and they often attribute the same reasons for the demise of SEO (even years later).

Search engine optimization is still the single most important component for driving additional buyer traffic to a car dealer's website. Period. I would absolutely love to…

I was calling the other day to set up some travel and when I dialed I got a real voice versus an IVR.  The funny thing was, I checked to make sure I dialed the right number.

Now how funny is that. We are so accustomed to getting a recording (you have reached...) or a support line, (please enter your account #) that when we actually get someone it makes us feel…

While not every dealership is actively involved with social media, it's a form of connecting with potential customers that doesn't seem to be going away.  If your dealership is participating in social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc), try to avoid making these common mistakes.

Replacing Your Dealership Website with Social Media Profiles: Maintain both for optimal results.  When you put your energy and assets into another platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc),…

General Motors can’t seem to get the Chevy Volt off of dealership lots – the American automaker has recently …

We live in a society that puts the dollar above the customer. That is, corners are cut and customer service is subservient to getting "paid." Don't get me wrong, I like getting paid as much as the next person but too many times we question the return before we implement any kind of customer service process that influences both repeat business and word-of-mouth.…

Three Must-Have Gadgets For The Automotive Professional

I am always on the lookout for technology that will enable my clients to be more efficient and effective in selling to and servicing their customers. I am excited to share with you three of my current favorites, which will seriously enhance the way you and your dealership engage,…

If you take a look at this heatmap, you'll see something very interesting. People don't scroll unless they have to. If they find what they're looking for in the first 4 or 5 results, they won't even look to see what's "below the fold". I only bring this up because we're due for one of those studies that comes out…

Ben Comen was always welcome to be a member of any sport-as long as he accepted the position of ball boy or water boy- that is until Coach Chuck Parker welcomed him with open arms to be a member of Hanna High School’s cross-country team. Ben wasn’t the most talented nor the fastest runner- as a matter of fact, he comes in dead last in nearly every race. What…

How valuable is a used car manager for a single point dealership?

In my recent travels I have started to see dealerships do away without a used car manager.  I am talking about dealerships that are selling between 70 and 100+ used cars per month.  In fact, it seems to be a role and responsibility that a GSM or even GM have started to take over.  The technology…