Let's face it. Klout is, for all intents and purposes, just a way for people to bolster their confidence and flex their social media muscle. It's a game, really, but one that's fun and that can help like-minded professionals find each other and network more effectively.

We compiled a list of the highest Klout scores in the automotive industry. The list is incomplete; there's no…

For grins, and to help me get started with this post, I Googled “Customer Expectations”. 

Of the 13,900,000 returned results, a link to an interview with Richard Branson stuck out because, well, he’s fabulous AND he’s someone who has apparently figured out how to do a lot of things right.  Sir Branson says: “Pricing your product or service is only one way to exceed expectations. The other is through your front-line employees -- everyone who works with customers.”  He goes on: …

This is as much a question that I would love answered as it is a personal opinion that I'm posting on my own behalf. News of yesterday's big buyout of ClickMotive has many in the industry stirring up old (and new) feelings that the industry is heading towards one-stop-shops as a preferred choice.

Disclaimer: I work for KPA. With over 3,000…

There are tools. Tools are great if used properly. The biggest challenge with tools is that they can be turned into a crutch that actually takes away from the exposure of the post. In other words, you can "tool yourself out of the message" by overusing them or by using them improperly.

Today's webinar was…

The 13th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition is fast approaching - just 3weeks left!

Not only is DealerOn a Title Sponsor, we will also have a booth (#1211), and many of us will be speaking as well!  Going to be a busy, busy few days for the DealerOn…

We have all seen the recent commercials Bing has launched claiming to be a better search engine than Google by offering blind tests to pedestrians around San Francisco, right? Whether you fancy Google or Microsoft's search engine, the fact remains that some people do use other search engines than the all mighty Google. So how can you optimize your website for Bing, and what’s that other search engine? Oh yeah...Yahoo! Well, In…

The Truth About 3rd Party Lead Source Providers, Aggregators & Online Classifieds

I hear all the time that “these leads suck”, “those leads suck” etc… The truth is that most of the times it is NOT the 3^rdparty provider, aggregator or online classified that…

How have you been optimizing your site for Google? If you’re still ranking well after this year’s barrage of updates, you must be doing something right, because Google is notoriously tough on cheaters. For Google there is a fine line between cheating and good small…

Engagement is everything! If your online community is not engaging you, they aren’t seeing your message. I went into a lot more detail in a recent blog post that I wrote entitled “Car Dealers Are Not the  Kardashians”.

One note before I begin, having a lot of Facebook likes is great but…

As I ate dinner with a large group of friends this weekend the topic turned to car salespeople.  Everyone seemed to have a story about being treated poorly when they wanted to purchase. They were ignored, abandoned, patronized and abused.  

I will spare you the details.  You’re welcome.

As I listened politely and carefully I began to hear a uniform pattern that struck me as odd. Every friend also had a reason for this treatment with some version of the following:

“It’s…

“That is not my job.”

Your dealership, like any business, has a mission. It might be to sell the most cars in the region. Maybe you’re focused on retention through your service department or simply providing the best dealership shopping experience for your customers. Whatever your business…

Tracking Traffic Is Crucial to Car Dealership Sales Success

What are you doing for event marketing these days?

Here's a great example of a strong dealership marketing program that results in the participation of about 300 people, and shows community support by tying the program into a charity.

October is PINK month - anyone going PINK to support breast cancer prevention and awareness? I'd love to hear…

I've Gotta Be Me

Whether I’m right or whether I’m wrong

Whether I find a place in this world or never belong

I gotta be me, I’ve gotta be me

What else can I be but what I am

I want to live, not merely survive

And I won’t give up this dream

Of life that keeps me alive

I gotta be me, I gotta be me

The dream that I see makes me what I am

That far-away prize, a world of…

A sound Internet/BDC operation is a key component of every successful automotive dealership. The question is, what makes a sound Internet/BDC operation? When the NCM Institute decided to sponsor a dealership Internet/BDC training program earlier this year, we decided upon one of the recognized e-Commerce experts in the retail automotive industry,…

Nearly 9 out of 10 small business owners are saying that social media has been helpful to their business. There are even more impressive stats in the same survey that seem almost low. In this article we’ll explain why social media marketingis so…

Scott Painter appears exclusively at October event for one-on-one discussion on industry innovation and dealer pain points with DrivingSales CEO

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – October 2, 2012 – DrivingSales today announced that Scott Painter, Chairman and CEO of TrueCar, Inc., will take center stage for a one-on-one interview with DrivingSales CEO Jared Hamilton at the 4^th annual…