This past weekend my brother was in town visiting and the moment he walked into any store or bar he exclaimed, “Oh! I gotta check-in on Foursqaure! There might be deals!”  According to an Empathica survey, one in three consumers recently followed through with a recommendation made via social media. Foursquare is a valuable app that dealers can use to drive…

At my parent’s house my mother has a plaque that reads, “En esta casa canta el gallo pero manda la gallina.”  For my non-Spanish speaking readers, it translates to: in this house, the rooster sings, but the hen gives the orders. Simply put, who runs the world? Girls!

We all know mothers are very influential in the household and when it comes to major…

The largest Redfish caught on record is a massive 94lbs; if you’re looking for a fight, a “Bull Red” won’t back down. Even a Redfish one tenth of the size caught on record will give you a memory your shoulders and forearms won’t soon forget. Imagine arriving early to find the right spot, bravely basting in the sweltering sun, casting and…

How many times as a manager have you looked through a deal that one of your salespeople just dropped on your desk and you asked yourself. "Who filled out this credit application? Or who filled in the blanks? Why are there crossouts? It sure looks like my salesperson did this. I have a complete deal in front of me. Ok let's call it in. " That's the norme in most dealerships. We wag the dog, push the paper, let's spot the car. This is a major problem. Dealers we have got to get out of this old…

2012 Automotive Special Finance

Banks are buying again and they are buying deep. Sub Prime Business is back and it is extremely profitable. I work with dealerships all over the country and the feeling is unanimous… They are ALL loving it! Why wouldn’t they? Over 60% of the United States has less than perfect credit.

Let me clear up some misconceptions about Special Finance. There are two different ways that you can engage the sub prime market (or not engage it at…

On a day when remember those who have given the "ultimate price" and have served our country with honor and pride, be respectful. There are some who feel that loss more than others. This holiday, while being a great "Sales" event for those in our business, is about those who gave the "ultimate". So have fun and enjoy the events at your dealerships. The hot dogs and hamburgers, the balloons and sodas, the customers and their families. Most of all, while doing all this, remember those who made…

Blood drips red from the wounded vest

Bullets richochet by and time slows down

The air thickens as breath escapes his chest

The senses grow weary with every sound

The eyes of his friend swell up with fear…

What are you anticipating from your car buyers this summer? Or do you only reflect back to the prior years production?

 As we all know, times and financial circumstances have changed much while car buyers are more educated and much more careful who they choose to place their trust and business with.…

http://dealeretraining.com/…

If you are planning on attending the AutoConnections Conference and Exposition at the Aria Hotel City Center Las Vegas from September 5th through September 8th, 2012, then we want to feature you in a video.…

In the movie Moneyball the General Manager of the Oakland Athletics was faced with a dilemma: His star players were leaving, going to other richer organizations that could pay them more money. Using the old ways of doing business his team was bound to lose--they couldn't compete dollar for dollar with the richer clubs. The old way wasn't going to work for a team with a lesser amount of money.

Even those teams with money were paying millions of dollars per win--as much as 3 million--an…

My first car which I purchased was a 1977 White 4-Speed Toyota Corolla.  It wasn’t the nicest looking vehicle anyone has ever seen.  As a matter of fact, it was what people today would call a “hoopty” or “jalopy”.  As soon as I made the purchase, I headed over to AutoZone to cover the steering column, replace the side mirrors, buy seat covers, and styled it up with the double windshield blades.  My taste in style has since changed.  It was ugly to say the least, but it was mine!

The…

As the sun rises and your day is about to start, you have a serious decision to make.  The decision you have to make right now is; How is this day going to go?  That's right, how is your day going to go?  Be forewarned that you may need to remake this decision multiple times during the day.

Uh... Dave, can we take a look at something relevant to the car business and not get all hung up on this motivational crap?

Sure!  No problem, I'm happy to do that for…

With the start of the Memorial Day weekend, you need to remind your staff to be vigilant in watching the lots and be aware that the "scam" artists are all to aware of the hyperactivity on dealership lots. Everyone needs to verify that the people they are with are who they say they are. DL's are a must do to the higher than normal risk associated with traditional big sale weekends. Every year during a "long" weekend, I hear stories in the press or through the "networks" about someone from…

The most trusted name in live chat brings the best blog posts and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events  and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. On this week’s edition – become a LinkedIn pro, headlights have rights,…

Step #1

Never allow your staff to choose between a customer in person and a customer on the phone.

Your customer will always lose.

• Showroom Receptionists are often facing the main entrance, and are the first person to be seen by a customer coming in. Too often they are unable to greet, or even…

After everything quiets down and you have the time and clarity to think, remember why your in this business. It's fun! Where else can you get to meet such a variety of people on a daily basis, interact with your peers and make a good living? Nowhere. We have the best careers in the world in a great field. Yeah, sometimes you have to put up with some knuckleheads and make adjustments, but it's how you look at things and handle them. You can mope around blame everyone else for your problems,…