Dealer Elite's Exclusive Interview with Tom Kain, President at AutoDealerTarget



1.What is AutoDealerTarget?



AutoDealerTarget is a company that started as a vision to provide email marketing to auto industry vendors and traniers, and has now grown to add the same level of premium digital marketing to the auto dealer body.


2. How long have you been a Dealer Elite member?


I was invited to Dealer Elite by Grant Cardone just after they launched about 18 months ago.


3. What do you like best about Dealer Elite?


Dealer Elite is a great place to network and also learn from the best and brightest minds in the industry. The content is relevant and the members are very active.Every Dealer,GM and manager in the Automotive industry should be a member of dE. 


4. What makes AutoDealerTarget different from every other marketing company?


First, we are very selective about the clients we work with and make ourselves directly available. We pride ourselves on working with the best dealers, vendors and trainers in the industry. We offer a high level of customization and do not take shortcuts. Most importantly, we insure our clients are always 100% compliant.


5. This all sounds interesting? Can you explain in more detail?


AutoDealerTarget was the first email marketing solutions company for auto industry vendors & trainers. While working closely with the automotive dealers, I noticed a need for a dependable and trustworthy company dealers could utilize for specific areas of their digital marketing. That being said, I decided to bring on some very talented individuals and start what we now call our Dealer Engagement Solutions. Currently we offer Conquest Email Marketing and Automated Craigslist Posting Solutions.


6. If you owned a dealership and had to pick ONE form of digital marketing, which would you choose and why?


Hands down, Email Marketing. It has the highest Return On Investment compared to every other form of digital marketing available and more than double that of direct mail. I love analytics and email marketing allows me to track everything.


7. What current projects are you working on that you can tell us about?


We are currently working on two new projects which are slated to launch later this month. The first one is a solution for dealers, vendors and trainers, providing a most powerful interactive engagement tool. The second project is best described as a microsite solution on steroids. We are very excited about both and look forward to sharing more details soon!


8. What advice would you give a newly promoted Internet manager or Internet director?


Get involved with social media and networking sites, especially DealerElite.net. Track everything, look at all your current marketing expenses and figure out where you’re getting the traffic, leads, etc. Focus first on the level of engagement on the Dealerships website. Once you have the Dealer Site polished, work to get current and conquest clients to it with email marketing and social media. Craigslist, and the other 3rd party search aggregate sites ie Cars.com and Kelly Blue Book can be optimized. When you get all that done, you’ll know what where to go next.


9. Which Internet tool has had the biggest impact on the auto industry in the last 10 years? (social, email, 3rd party, dealer websites)


Right now my answer would have to be Social Media (dE is a great example of this). However, I think in the next few years you will see Email Marketing having an even greater impact as more dealers begin to utilize it on a regular basis.


10. What do you mean by engagement?


Engagement speaks to a change in focus with digital marketing. Funnelling down shoppers into a position where they are forced to fill out a lead form to communicate with the dealership has a certain level of success; however, allowing a shopper new, creative and dynamic ways to connect with dealers on there terms yields more contacts in a more comfortable environment. The first impression an Internet buyer receives is “engagement” it should be a good one.




11. What does AutoDealerTarget look like five years from now?


In five years I see AutoDealerTarget managing a large group of professionals with the same dedication and desire I have for helping our clients achieve massive success in the digital marketing arena.


12. How would our dE member's contact you?



Tom Kain

President

606.657.0277 direct

tkain@autodealertarget.com