Innovative Dealer Summit invites Sean Stapleton, CSO and Kendall Billman, VP of Interactive Marketing to speak at the event hosted by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association Event

Overland Park, KS – March 14, 2012- VinSolutions, an industry-leading developer of automotive Internet-based Customer Relations Management (CRM) and Internet Lead Management (ILM) software, is a sponsor at the Innovative Dealer Summit, organized by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), where Sean Stapleton, Chief Sales Officer, and Kendall Billman, Vice President of Interactive Marketing, have also been invited to speak.  

Sean Stapleton will present “Use the Power of YOUR data and Current Tools to Sell More Cars!” will provide real world insight to automotive dealership professionals who are looking for ways to use data already owned in smarter and more efficient ways; to decrease waste and increase revenue with an informed and targeted approach to sales and marketing.  Dealers will find out how modern dealership systems are able to maximize their current vendor solutions through a live audit of tools for an accurate side-by-side comparison in the automotive industry. The session will take place at the Innovative Dealer Summit on March 21, 2012.

 “As a past dealer, collision center owner and from working in the car business for almost 10 years myself, I am excited to share the knowledge accumulated through my own experience and through that of thousands of dealership partners,” said Sean Stapleton.  “Data is key.  We’ll take a look at the breakdown of the tools and processes now available in the automotive industry with real examples and learn how to use data to maximize true ROI.”

Kendall Billman will provide live analysis of attendee Websites and compare them with best practice sites that include examples from over 20 million visitors touching over 100 million pages that will allow a dealership to prove marketing ROI.  The presentation, titled “Your Website Tells You Buyer Behaviors. Are You Listening?” describes existing technology that reveals valuable market advantages and solves the issue of lost leads with traffic to an automotive dealership’s Website.  By learning what happens behind the scenes of a Website, dealership professionals are able to translate powerful insight to improve their sales and overall business strategy. The session will take place at the Innovative Dealer Summit on March 22, 2012.   

 Kendall Billman said, “Website behavioral analysis, over a variety of data points, is the first and best way to gain a competitive advantage in an automotive dealership.  This, combined with the power of a fully-integrated system and a solid Website and mobile Website platform, is the key to continued improvement and is more accessible than you may have ever imagined.”

The Innovative Dealer Summit has become the definitive management education forum for dealer principals and senior dealer managers and addresses the most pressing sales, profitability, technology, best practices, social media and other emerging issues in dealership operations today. The summit is held at the Colorado Convention Center on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Thursday, March 22, 2012 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Full schedule and registration information may be found here: http://www.innovativedealersummit.com/.

About VinSolutions (www.vinsolutions.com)

VinSolutions, headquartered in Overland Park, KS, consolidates data from all areas of an automotive dealership helping dealers to find, sell and keep customers more profitably with their fully-integrated “Dealership Marketing System.” VinSolutions’ all-in-one internal management and external sales and service marketing solution platform includes  search marketing, online advertising, social media marketing tools, mobile marketing, websites, ILM (Internet Lead Management), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), sales force automation, desking, appraisal, finance, used vehicle marketing and market pricing, inventory management and distribution, window stickers, automated video tours, loyalty management and targeted marketing with email, text, direct mail and telemarketing services. This cloud-based system is available for large dealer groups and individual dealerships from anywhere an Internet connection is available and can be viewed from any smartphone including BlackBerry, Google DROID and iPhone.  VinSolutions’ Dealership Marketing System is installed by their implementation experts and supported by best practice retail strategy consultation, process training and customer care.

VinSolutions was named on the Inc. 500|5000 in 2010 and 2011 and has received many industry accolades including the Automotive Website Award for Best Integrated Website Platform and the Driving Sales Innovation Cup for VinLens™. VinSolutions is certified by GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Acura, Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Kia, Saab, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Jaguar Land Rover North America and Nissan and is ADP, Reynolds & Reynolds and DealerTrack DMS certified. Other alliances include, but are not limited to, Kelley Blue Book, Black Book, Galves, NADA, CARFAX, R.L. Polk, AIS Rebates, KnowMe, AutoSoft, Arkona, Autodata and RouteOne. Founded in 2006, VinSolutions became a subsidiary of AutoTrader.com in 2011.

About Sean Stapleton, Chief Sales Officer at VinSolutions

Sean Stapleton entered the automotive software industry by co-founding IMS, which was later acquired by Who’s Calling. He worked as Vice President of National Accounts and as Vice President of Automotive Sales for Who’s Calling, where he defined market expectations for the emerging Call Measurement and Monitoring industry. He later co-founded and established Visible Customer as an automotive market brand.  

Appointed to the VinSolutions’ Board in 2010, Sean is a key component in executing the next step in the company’s evolution: making the industry aware of its successes and new solutions.  VinSolutions has realized growth of 678% under Sean Stapleton, contributing directly to the company being ranked by Inc. 500 in 2010 as the 33rd fastest growing software company and 447th fastest growing company overall and again in 2011 in both categories. Sean is a highly regarded author in many top automotive trade magazines and a respected events speaker.  With memberships in all major automotive networking groups, Sean’s expertise is sought as a consultant and mentor to many.

In addition to his work in the automotive industry, Sean Stapleton works as a major fund raiser for Merrick Inc., http://www.merrickinc.org/, a non-profit organization whose goal is to empower adults with disabilities through vocational and social opportunities. Sean resides in Minneapolis, MN with his wife and three children. 

About Kendall Billman, Vice President of Interactive Marketing at VinSolutions

Kendall Billman earned his MBA in Marketing and has over 18 years of automotive experience. He is an industry leading expert in Website Consumer Behavior, Website Development, SEO, SEM and Internet Marketing to automotive customers.  Kendall is a member of the American Marketing Association, is Google Adwords Qualified and has spoken at numerous Digital Dealer Conferences.  He has consulted for BMW, Ford, GM, Mercedes, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infiniti, Honda and Mitsubishi in Website lead tracking, follow-up, endorsements and certifications. Kendall helped create Reynolds Web Solutions, brought CRM to Who's Calling and built DealerON's consumer interactive Websites and SEO. Kendall's philosophy of an educational approach ensures our client's complete satisfaction and understanding of what comprises a website that successfully attracts customers.

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VinSolutions Media Contact:  Gina Reuscher (gina.reuscher@vinsolutions.com), (800) 980-7488