Auto dealers with one or two locations in secondary markets are often short of marketing resources, including staff to execute strategies and budgets to raise the visibility of the store and drive more showroom traffic. Now a company has come up with a solution to help these dealers generate more visibility in their communities via traditional, digital, and…

As the cost of vehicles goes up, leasing is making a strong rebound in the market.  OEM and dealer advertising are putting a strong focus on their lease programs. And with extra money in their pockets (tax breaks, increased salaries, etc.) consumers are looking to upgrade their vehicles.  All this is good news for auto retailers.

The issue from a transparency viewpoint is the “low monthly payment and big down payment” advertising to lure consumers into the dealership.  At this point…

We talk about commitment, sacrifice, and courage but too often in our world today those words ring hollow and many only "talk the walk."  In honor of one man who chose to "walk the talk" I changed my profile photo to honor Arland D. Williams Jr. who made the ultimate sacrifice to help others.   I invite you to read more about him.

• Latest NADA and Urban Science stats said new car dealerships sold approx. 16.5 million new and 9.9 million used (retail) vehicles in 2014

• Consumers bought over 600,000 vehicles from TrueCar dealers in 2014. That means using numbers from above; they were directly or indirectly responsible for only 2.3% of vehicle sales last year from new car dealers.
  
  
• 97.7% of  new and used vehicles sold by new car dealers are NOT sold via TrueCar …
  
  

Over my years in this business I have come to know Mark Tewart, Sean Stapleton and Joe Webb as the true friends and professionals they are in representing and caring about the success of auto dealers

In my opinion, just listening and learning from them alone is worth the price of admission to the Insight 15 Customer Loyalty & Retention Event.  As someone who helped bring about dealer…

Scott Stratten, author of UnMarketing, UnSelling and other books. He shares some great insights that might be valuable to automotive digital marketers. Here is an interview from last fall's Content Marketing World event in Cleveland.   You can view his video here at Carfolks.net…

Just read this great blog post on Linkedin.  

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141114143018-52594-ten-stupid-rules-that-drive-great-employees-away?trk=pulse-det-nav_art

One example is 

Bell Curve Performance Reviews

Performance reviews in general are a…

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There are an incredible amount of publications, networks, blogs, and newsletters for the auto industry.  I have created a single resource page that links to over 60 of these publications and blogs.  Check it out, bookmark it and share it with your associates. 

http://carfolks.net/industry_resources.html…

Just read in Automotive News that Reputation.com is offering a solution to help auto dealers skirt the Google.com policy of not posting customer reviews from the dealership computers.  

The article states, "Reputation.com, a reputation-management firm certified by General Motors for its dealerships, has devised a method to revive those in-store reviews."   I just say…

Cleveland, OH March 16, 2014:   Carfolks.com, the first integrated marketing and employee retention solution for auto dealers, is introducing their pilot program for both Chrysler and Mitsubishi dealerships in selected markets throughout the United States. 

It’s no secret that the reputation of auto dealers isn’t very high in the mind of auto shoppers. The main cause of this perception is the high turnover rate of employees in local dealerships. Vehicle manufacturers like Ford Motor…

Excerpts from article on  iMedia Connection:  

A recent study by NextStage sifted through input from 1,700 companies who used social marketing in 2013, The results have shown some interesting outcomes and perceptions that will impact what companies do going forward.

Just to be clear, social marketing means creating a social presence and using that social presence to drive conversions. Conversions cover everything from loyalty to…

Believe it or not some states are bringing legal action against "experts" who are unlicensed in their states for giving advice to the public.  States like Ohio, North Carolina and others require car sales professionals to be licensed, so is it possible someone unlicensed could be breaking the law?

Well if you ask the Attorney General in Kentucky maybe they are in violation of the law.  Watch this video or read about this case here. …

Nowhere in history have auto dealers had more options, channels and media to promote their business to the public.  And while these choices are great they can also be confusing, frustrating, and at times expensive.

Technology has brought us the Internet, mobile smart phones, portable tablet pc’s and ultra-fast wi-fi networks.  Most of us couldn’t live without these items, but over the past…

Find 67 auto industry resources to get info, digital publications and social networks.

It seems an overwhelming majority of participants on this network are obsessed with social media channels. While I feel they play a role in a good overall marketing strategy, I wonder if we are putting too much weight on their importance?

Let me ask you this question:

"If a dealership took all their icons and buttons and links to…

The time for transparency has arrived.  There are no more secrets online, and consumers know that filtered and manipulated dealer reviews only confirm that a dealer is not being candid on their website. 

At Carfollks.com we enable good dealers to leverage "the truth" in their marketing to create powerful connections with customers to establish real…

One of the most thorough studies of what influences auto buyers was just released this week and the

findings point to the importance of human interaction when purchasing a new car

ST. LOUIS (May 30, 2012) – Contrary to the growing belief that social media will soon replace traditional automotive…

Auto retailers are some of the most creative and entrepreneurial organizations I know but sometimes a company can forget what made them successful.  Check out this slide show on Baseline.…

Nationally recognized trainer Rafi Hamid, the owner of Dealers Technology Inc. has acquired ownership in AutoJini, one of the leading auto dealer website design and SEO Companies in the country

Chicago, IL -- Rafi Hamid President and CEO of Dealers Technology has become a partner and the new Chief Operating Officer for AutoJini.  Rafi Hamid, an…