AutoSuccess Apr08

AutoSuccess Presents the 2008 Synergy Sessions, Details Inside

Volume 6 • Issue 9

Susan Givens, [email protected]

Proverbs 22:11 - He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.

AutoSuccess Magazine is published monthly at 3834 Taylorsville Rd., Building A, Ste. 1B Louisville, KY 40220; 502.588.3155, fax 502.588.3170. Direct all subscription and customer service inquiries to 877.818.6620 or [email protected]. Subscription rate is $69 per year. AutoSuccess welcomes unsolicited editorials and graphics (not responsible for their return). All submitted editorials and graphics are subject to editing for grammar, content and page length. AutoSuccess provides its contributing writers latitude in expressing advice and solutions; views expressed are not necessarily those of AutoSuccess and by no means reflect any guarantees. AutoSuccess accepts no liability in respect of the content of any third party material appearing in this magazine or in respect of the content of any other magazine to which this magazine may be linked from time to time. Always confer with legal counsel before implementing changes in procedures.© All contents copyrighted by AutoSuccess Magazine, a Division of Systems Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without express written consent from AutoSuccess. AutoSuccess may occasionally make readers’ names available to other companies whose products and/or services may be of interest; readers may request that names be removed by calling 877.818.6620. Printed in the USA. Postmaster: Send address changes to AutoSuccess Magazine, 3834 Taylorsville Rd., Building A, Ste. 1B Louisville, KY 40220.

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God is the source of all supply

Dave Davis, Creative Strategist & [email protected]

Thomas Williams, Vice President & Creative [email protected]

on the cover

Brian Ankney, Sales-improvement [email protected]

God is the source of all supplyhelping to support...

Brian Balash, Sales-improvement [email protected]

Scott Schaeffer, Sales-improvement [email protected]

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Always Be Closing

You Can Beat ANY PRICE...Without LOSING PROFITS!

VSEO King of SearchSean V. Bradley CEO of Dealer Synergy and Pioneer of VSEO

KarenUriarte

TomHopkins

PhilCalvert

An Interview With SeanV.Bradley

JodyDeVere

Outsourced Chat

Improve Your Next Direct Mail Event

ChrisSchueller

MichaelYork

Visualize and Realize

2008 Synergy Sessions Update

From the Roof to the Rims:Giving Customers the Vehicle They Want

MarkTewartKill the Wolf

Speaking Her Language on the Service Drive

DaymondDecker

D.J.Harrington

Back to the Basics

JeffKershner

SeanV.BradleyInternet Sales 20 Group IV

SusanBurke

Are You Skipping Steps With Your Internet Customers?

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www.autosuccessonline.com

TomHopkins

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Always Be ClosingThe actual closing of the sale is by far the

most important step in the selling process. Without it, you haven’t sold anything, have you? However, it should also be the most natural part of the process. Everything else you do leads to that point.

I teach lots of techniques for prospecting, meeting people, qualifying, presenting, demonstrating and addressing concerns — and they’re all important. But, unless you can close, you’re like a football team that can’t sustain a drive long enough to score.

The biggest complaint I hear from most salespeople is that they don’t know when to start closing. Those people just don’t understand the simple fact that a true champion salesperson is closing all the time. He or she is constantly trying test closes and will go into the fi nal closing sequence anytime they sniff the sweet smell of success.

The problem with too many salespeople is they get so wrapped up in the steps of their selling sequence that if the prospect wants to go ahead with the purchase before they’re fi nished presenting, they lose their momentum and go tripping awkwardly into the close. This can cause tension and make the buyer hesitate or decide to re-think their decision.

Believe it or not, there are prospects out there who want to make a decision quickly. If you keep talking instead of closing, you’ll run the risk of un-selling them just as fast. So, during every step of the selling cycle, you must keep one eye on the prospect at all times watching for cues as to their readiness to go ahead.

The most common cues include:• The client starts talking about the

vehicle as if he or she already owns it. “Wait ‘til Bob sees me in this new truck.” “I can pick up more of the kids after soccer practice with this van.”

• The clients relax their body language. They may have been standing back a couple of feet with their arms folded, but are now leaning against the vehicle. Or, they may have been sitting back in their chair, but lean forward over the paperwork.

• Clients begin asking more questions or asking you to repeat information. They want to be certain they understand because they’re thinking ahead to ownership. These questions might include warranty information, or how to work the radio, or about the upgrade options available.

OK. They’re ready. You clearly see that the time has arrived and you start walking into the dealership…to your desk or conference room. This is where most vehicle sales are lost. You are thinking ahead to fi lling out paperwork and getting the numbers. The clients have their own thoughts. Most are thinking about how to fi nance the vehicle. They’re getting anxious thinking about what the fi nal amount will be after all the fees are added up. They wonder if they can truly afford the monthly investments. What kind of interest rate will they qualify for? They fear they won’t be good negotiators and won’t get a “good deal.”

So, while you’re thinking ahead to the detail work, ol’ Mr. Fear is creeping up on their shoulders and whispering in their ear. My advice: Forget the details until you’re actually sitting at the desk working on them.

During those critical minutes it takes you to

transition from lot to desk, you need to keep them focused on ownership. Do a brief recap of what they liked about the vehicle. Keep them talking in the positive and thinking positively about the investment without making any promises. Don’t say, “Our fi nance guy is great. He’ll get you a good deal.” No, no, no. You may have the greatest fi nance wizard in the business working with you, but just that little change in the client’s mind from “I love the color, the features and that new car smell” to “here I go writing yet another check at the end of the month” can quickly and easily kill the sale.

The salespeople who close sales and keep them closed remained focused on the present moment. They kept their conversation in line with the client’s thoughts and kept them excited about ownership while taking the long walk down the hall toward the fi nancial details. They were then able to change gears and move to their paperwork smoothly after everyone was settled into the proper environment.

Careful thought must be given to the how and when you’ll produce your closing paperwork. Many prospects will tighten up and try to change gears when they see you pulling out forms. Don’t risk upsetting the emotional balance that’s tipped in your favor. If at all possible, get into the habit of writing brief notes during every presentation. Your prospect will get used to seeing you writing and not be put off when you begin writing on the actual agreement.

World-renowned master sales trainer Tom Hopkins is the chairman of Tom Hopkins International. He can be contacted at 866.347.6148, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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STSMarkTewart

Kill the WolfWhat’s the common image of a

salesperson? The big bad wolf.

The big bad wolf seeks and destroys. It’s a predator who pounces on its prey, eats the weak and leaves a bloody mess behind. This image makes the job of salespeople a lot harder than it should be. The good news is that this creates an opportunity to kill the wolf and turn the negative into a positive.

If you were to ask 10 customers what they hate about salespeople and the buying experience, you’d get an earful. Take each of those answers and list when it occurs in the sequence of your normal sales process. Begin to review the list and sequence with a TLC Mindset (Think Like a Customer).

Picture your customer, or even yourself as a customer, in the buying process and the negative experience. Remember, perception is reality: Selling is nothing more than helping customers solve problems in a manner they feel positive about. The key word is “feel.”

Emotions are key to everything in life, including sales and the buying experience.

In marketing and sales, you must constantly remove the barriers of entry for a customer. Picture a road with potholes, detours and obstacles and the emotions they create when encountered. This is exactly what a customer feels every time they encounter a barrier in your buying process.

Begin to think in terms of proactively eliminating each barrier. Now take this a step further and begin to promote the differences in a manner that separates you from the competition in a manner that is positive but not arrogant. Create a funnel process that allows the customer to move effortlessly and positively through the process.

Old school training methods that are based upon closing deals rather than opening relationships are dead. Consumers are too educated, have too many choices and demand a better experience today. Don’t continue your current sales process just because that’s

the way you have always done it or because of the worst philosophy ever spoken – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it.”

Create a selling philosophy and process that becomes a part of your brand, your defi ning message and your culture. I guarantee it’s easier to recruit, hire and train winning salespeople with this philosophy and process.

Begin by analyzing everything from the initial contact on a phone call, a visit to your Web site or when they pull into your business. I can think of at least fi ve negative things that occur in a traditional meet and greet and 10 absolute deal killers that occur at least 50 percent of the time or more when you are profi ling and interviewing customers. For a list of these deal killers, along with 10 suggestions to improve your process, feel free to e-mail me at the address below.

Mark Tewart is the president of Tewart Enterprises. He can be contacted at 866.429.6844, or by e-mail [email protected].

JeffKershner

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the #1 sales-improvement magazine for the automotive professional

When you’re dealing with the Internet

consumer — today’s consumer — it’s easy to assume they know exactly what they want. After all, they’ve done countless hours of research. They know exactly what they want down to the color, trim and options, right? Yet recent studies show, only 23 percent of consumers actually purchase the vehicle they fi rst intended to.

When I was on the fl oor as an Internet sales representative, I sometimes found myself tip-toeing around the customer for several reasons:

• I thought for sure the customer knew exactly what he or she wanted.

• I fi gured the customer already had pricing from Edmunds or another consumer Web site.

• I didn’t want to come off as the typical “car sales guy.”

Of course, I don’t think anyone reading this would want to be seen as the typical sleazy car salesmen. But, you are there to sell a car, which does at least make you a salesperson, right?

Now, in trying to be different and better, by giving your customers a joyful buying experience, is it possible you’re not being fair to the customer or yourself? When I say “fair,” I mean you could be short-changing your customers by not offering them outstanding customer service and all the options that are available.

I bring this issue up after having the opportunity to visit many dealers, watching their Internet and sales process and refl ecting back to my days on the fl oor as an Internet sales representative. I often found myself focusing so much effort trying not to be the stereotypical car salesman that I would catch myself taking too many shortcuts.

Next time you have an appointment with a customer whom you have been working online, take a step back and be able to recognize if you’re taking shortcuts.

Are you giving your customers a million-dollar product presentation? Just because your customer has done hours of research

online, this doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the opportunity for you to show them the features and benefi ts of the vehicle they’re getting ready to spend thousands of dollars on. Who knows? Your customer might be in the wrong car.

Are you presenting your customers inventory options to help them save money? Many times this is done during e-mail or phone communication, but it doesn’t hurt to offer it again in person. Always offer your customer several ways of saving money, whether it’s a model or trim level down or a certifi ed pre-owned vehicle of the same model (this will help you when it comes time to close).

Are you walking your customers through your service department? Build value in the dealership and its service department. Be sure your customer is aware of the convenience features of your service department. Whenever possible, introduce every customer to the service manager or service representative.

Are you sure your customers are aware of all the different purchasing options available to them? Many times, the price of the vehicle is negotiated over the phone or e-mail. This doesn’t mean your customers do not deserve the opportunity to review other buying options that are available to them. Even if they are cash buyers, always present purchase and lease payments as options for your customers. You never know — your customers might be interested in leasing even though this had never come up in past communications.

Of course these are just a few of the major steps that I notice many Internet sales representatives taking. When you shortcut the customer you’re shortcutting yourself — and your paycheck.

Jeff Kershner is the corporate sales trainer for MileOne and founder of DealerRefresh.com. He can be contacted at 866.847.1893, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Are YouSkipping Steps With

Your Internet Customers?

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An Interview with SeanV.Bradley

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Susan Givens, publisher of AutoSuccess, sat down with Sean V. Bradley, CEO of Dealer Synergy and pioneer of Video Search Engine Optimization to interview him about VSEO and what it can mean to dealers, now and in the future.

AS: Let’s get right into it — What does it mean to be “King of Search”? SVB: Video Search Engine Optimization has dominated the industry. It is more powerful than regular Search Engine Optimization (SEO); it is more powerful than Search Engine Marketing (SEM / Pay per Click).

AS: What exactly is “Video Search Engine Optimization,” or “VSEO”?

SVB: VSEO is the management and distribution of rich media (i.e., videos) across the Internet. This management includes creation of the descriptions, metadata, keywords and category tags. This means your videos show up in natural placement on all of the search engines — not just the video search engines such as YouTube and MySpace TV, or future video sites like Facebook. VSEO is now breaking all boundaries and unifying search results for all of the major search engines — including Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, and Ask.com — through Universal Search.

AS: Where do the best leads come from?

SVB: The highest-quality leads come from a dealership’s Web site. All of the statistics point to this:

• Six percent closing ratio for an OEM lead (within 30 days)

• Eight percent closing ratio for a third-party lead provider

• More than 70 percent of the traffi c that third parties generate for dealers originates from search engines

• 16 percent closing ratio for a dealership’s Web site

AS: So, if the highest quality leads comes from a dealer’s own Web site, what are the different ways that dealers can drive traffi c to their Web site?

SVB: There are several ways, including Pay Per Click (SEM), Organic Search Engine Optimization and Banner ads.

Pay Per Click (SEM) is not a good tier-one initiative; after someone clicks the link, there is no residual value. You have to keep paying money to the campaign. There are a lot of dealers who are bidding on keywords, and, furthermore, third-party providers utilize SEM, and their greater resources and budget makes competing with them diffi cult. What is also interesting is that only 20 percent of people click the sponsored links.

Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is much better than SEM because it’s free, plus 80 percent of people will click natural versus sponsored links.

The problem is that it takes between four to six months for organic SEO to “kick in” and have any relevant value. After the sites are built, they have to get submitted to the search engines for “ranking.” That process takes almost six months to take full effect and for a client see true relevancy.

All I am going to say about banner ads is that they have about a .01 percent click-through ratio. There are a lot better ways to spend your money on digital marketing.

AS: What would you say to the skeptics reading this?

SVB: It is what it is. There are always people doubting or saying something negative. Imagine if you were the person who passed on investing Starbucks because you preferred tea. With VSEO, a dealer can be in the top 10 listings on the major search

engines, with organic results, and on the fi rst page, guaranteed. VSEO can also do it in a fraction of the time conventional SEO takes to fully propagate. A dealer can see results in three to 14 days. Sometimes even within hours a dealer can have their videos show up on the fi rst page of Google.

Here are a couple of examples of VSEO results: Go to Google.com and type “Chevy Detroit” and watch what comes up — two thumbnails for the Dick Genthe Chevrolet dealership. Now go to Yahoo.com and type “Special Finance Indiana.” Two thumbnails show up on the fi rst page. But what is amazing is that if you click one of those, they don’t drill down to another page — a video expands right there within the actual search listing!

The possibilities are surreal. Imagine if you were “Bradley Toyota” located in Bristol Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia). With a VSEO campaign, whenever someone types in “Bradley Toyota,” “Bristol Toyota,” “Philadelphia Toyota,” “Bristol Nissan,” “Bristol Honda,” “Bristol Ford,” “Philadelphia Nissan,” “Philadelphia Honda,” “Philadelphia Ford,” or any other combination of anything you want, your video testimonial (or any other type of video you want, such as a walk around, a commercial, or a guarantee) will show up on the fi rst page, and it can happen immediately.

I ask the skeptics that are reading this a simple question: Imagine going to Google, AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Ask.com, YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook or other search engine and typing in your dealership’s name, franchise or town, or anything that you can think of that the average or advanced Internet user would type to fi nd you. How would you feel deep down when you saw a video testimonial of your direct competitor’s happy customers show up on the fi rst page of your search results?

It wouldn’t feel very good, would it? But it is happening right now as you read this interview; dealers are succumbing to other dealer’s VSEO campaigns.

AS: That sounds a little aggressive. Is that legal?

SVB: It is aggressive, but if you want the things that most people don’t have, you have to be willing to do the things most people aren’t to get them. And yes, this is 100 percent legal and ethical. I am not suggesting that you lie or mislead anyone. I just think a dealership needs to secure an opportunity, and secure visibility; if you are not visible, you are invisible.

AS: Would a VSEO campaign work for any dealer?

SVB: Absolutely. Every dealership would benefi t from a VSEO campaign. Around 87 to 97 percent of Americans go online before they ever set foot into a dealership, so to be on the Internet makes a ton of sense. It is the most effi cient and popular way for people to communicate, not to mention that Internet advertising cuts a dealership’s average cost per sale over 50 percent. We just covered that the most powerful way to drive traffi c was through Search Engines and VSEO

AS: How diffi cult is it for dealers to initiate a VSEO program?

SVB: It’s easy to shoot a video and upload it to YouTube or other video engines; however, it is diffi cult for a dealership to upload in volume to make it effective. For example, we have a state-of-the-art video production facility and proprietary, patent-pending software and technology. With these tools, we can do in minutes what it takes a team of people a full week’s worth of work to do. This technology allows us to create amazing video content. For a sample of our video production capabilities, type “Drew Finnie” into YouTube. Our clients include the Walt Disney Company, Sony and Buena Vista, so our video production needs to be at the caliber of Sony, Disney and Pixar.

We can also watermark toll-free numbers, as well as URLs onto the video; create custom keywords, descriptions, metadata and tags; automatically upload to all of the video engines; and consistently and methodically create videos and upload them every month. We also provide a FREE digital video camera to the dealership, as well as advise them on what videos they can easily create at their dealership, such as testimonials, bios and walk-arounds.

We are fi rst to market with VSEO. My partners are literally the people who invented “Video Search Engine Optimization.” There are a lot of dealers who are operating on antiquated technology and bad advice. Regular SEO and SEM are obsolete next to VSEO. All of the search engines are consolidating to Universal Search. Video content is Platinum or Diamond to the search engines, where regular SEO or SEM is bronze or silver.

AS: Are there any other companies that are offering VSEO?

SVB: Absolutely not. We are fi rst to market. I have been writing about VSEO for almost a year now in various national and international publications. VSEO has been the hot subject for me to talk about at every major event where I have spoken, including the JD Power Internet Roundtable, more than 41 NCM and NADA dealer 20 groups in the last 10 months, and to 1,000 dealer principals and GMs in less than a year. And VSEO has been the main intrigue.

Dealer Synergy has gone from a consulting and training company to a full-blown technology powerhouse, and I will be conducting a workshop about VSEO at the upcoming Synergy Sessions in New Orleans. We estimate that we are at least a year-and-a-half ahead of the entire world with this technology. As I mentioned before, most dealers are still trying to fi gure out regular SEO and SEM. But dealers have been working with SEO/SEM for over seven years now! That’s not something new; VSEO is, and it’s powerful.

AS: What types of videos should dealers have for their campaigns?

SVB: Dealers should have a diversifi ed library of video content, such as:

• Testimonials of their happy clients (These are the best videos, I believe)

• Walk-arounds of vehicles by the dealership — NOT the OEM

• Biographies of its managers, salesman, Internet/BDC team, etc.

• Messages from the owner/GM stating, “Why buy here.”

• Community involvement videos• Videos showing the dealership,

interior/exterior/inventory/service/sales, etc.

• High-end commercials or high-end animation (From our studio)

• Funny videos• How-to videos (how to buy a car,

lease vs. fi nance, what to look for in a dealership, how to properly maintain your vehicle, etc.)

There are also Competition Annihilation videos. If you are a Ford dealership, for example, get one of your very happy Ford clients who switched from something else to give you a testimonial about how much better the Ford is than their old make, and how your dealership is the best in the area. With a VSEO campaign, when someone goes to Google.com and types in that other make of car in your city, your video testimonial of your happy customer pops up, saying how wonderful a FORD is over that other brand!

AS: Are there any guarantees?

SVB: Absolutely! We guarantee fi rst page results and exclusivity.

AS: What type of campaigns can a dealer initiate for VSEO?

SVB: There are six main campaigns that a dealership can participate in, per franchise: New Car, Pre Owned/Certifi ed Pre-Owned, Finance/Special Financing, Fixed Operations (Service/Parts), Public Relations, and the Competition Annihilation Package (this, of course, is the most popular package).

AS: Is this just for car dealerships?

SVB: Absolutely not! We are working with several large automotive vendors and technology providers in the industry. My partners are in many other verticals. My focus is automotive, which means franchised and independent dealerships, OEMs, automotive vendors and automotive technology providers.

AS: How can someone fi nd out more about VSEO?

SVB: They can go to www.dealersynergy.com, call 888-3-SYNERGY, or they can sign up for the upcoming Synergy Session in New Orleans May 13 - 14 at the W Hotel by visiting www.synergysessions.com. I will be presenting a workshop and demonstrating the full power of VSEO.

Sean V. Bradley is the CEO and founder of Dealer Synergy. He can be contacted at 888.815.9409, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Susan Givens is the publisher of AutoSuccess Magazine. She can be contacted at 866.855.6616, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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I want to share a phrase with

you: “Picturize, prayerize, and it will materialize.”

A few years ago, when I was speaking in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, I had the afternoon off. My family was with me on this beautiful resort property. My daughter and I rented bikes and started a father/daughter ride. We talked about life, boys and cheerleading. As we rode on that sunny afternoon, I saw a beautiful white four-door Lincoln Continental with a dark blue canvas roof. It was awesome.

I asked Erin for the camera, and I walked as close as I could to the car to take a picture or two. The owner came out of his very large estate to tell me I was on private property. My daughter loved it — I was being reprimanded by an adult. I moved back fast to my bike and to the trail. That night at dinner my daughter told my wife the whole story.

I took the pictures and put one on my mirror in the bathroom and one next to my desk in the offi ce. Six months went by and my daughter and I visited a local Lincoln Mercury store. The general manager said, “The car that you wanted and were dreaming of — you’re not going to believe this, but a retiring judge just traded in that exact car last night, in order to buy his wife a smaller car.”

My daughter was in shock. She said, “What ever you think about, comes about, right, Dad?”

Yes. I want you to learn to “Picturize, prayerize, and it will materialize.” I have been a sales trainer since I had brown hair and had hair. One day, in Atlanta,

Georgia, calling on the World Headquarters of Coca Cola, we had an appointment with the head person of purchasing for all of Coca Cola Worldwide.

The sales person accompanying me on this trip asked me what do I think about before calling on this large of an account. I told him if it’s a large account like Coke, or a small account where a husband and wife run the business, it’s all the same.

I fi rst picture the buyer as a nice person and they like me. They trust my company or fi rm and then I see the buyer in my mind, signing a very large purchase order.

And then guess what happened? He did just that. It was one of the largest purchase orders that we ever had. He was a nice person — the sales call made in Heaven, or should I say, made fi rst in my mind.

Tiger Woods, the famous golfer tells everyone that he fi rst sees that ball spin into the hole way before he pulls his putter back and does his slow and even stroke.

It’s called “Picturize, prayerize, and it will materialize.”

Let me give you one more true story: Visualization and expectation is when you expect things that you want, and try not to expect the things that you don’t want. When we purchased a nice home in the Atlanta, Georgia, the basement was not fi nished. It was in a “Fake it until you make it” neighborhood, where most of us bought more home that we really needed — and had no way to fi ll it with furniture.

My daughter was eight years old at the time. One day, I was in the corner of the basement in a section where I had put up a wall and made it into a make-shift workshop. She had

two little friends with her. They didn’t know I was there and I could hear every word they said. My daughter began to mimic me.

Oh, yeah!

“Now, here will be the movie theatre,” she explained to them. “Over here, and there will be the ice cream bar, and this will be where the pool table will go.” She told one of her friends to step back because she was now standing where the jukebox was going to be. And yes, there would be a dance fl oor.

Now, my daughter is all grown-up, and let me tell you, as I write this article, the basement is exactly the way my daughter described.

There is a movie theatre with real movie seats, a dance fl oor with black and white tile, a pool table and an ice cream soda fountain. The only difference is that we did not get an old jukebox. We instead have a 1973 Ford Thunderbird — a rare fi nd — and it makes for a great sounding jukebox.

My wish to all of you: Learn to picturize. Picture in your mind, fi rst the car, the home and your business or career. Then pray, think, meditate, and then get ready for it to materialize.

It’s all part of the success package that my colleagues are speaking about. When I was young, my dad said “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, he will achieve.” He was right. And I know that by reading this article, you are on the right track.

D. J. Harrington is an author, journalist, seminar leader, international trainer and marketing consultant. He can be contacted at 866.855.5781, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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STSMichaelYork

You Can Beat ANY PRICE...Without LOSING PROFITS!

“We’ll Beat Any Price!”

You’ve heard it, maybe even said it, but what it means is you’re usually beating profi ts down as well. The bid process is a dangerous place to play. I much prefer the auction process where people are trying to “one-up” everyone else and win the prize. Looking at the low bid or lowest price is not as much fun as watching competition bidding up the price to see who wins. And no matter who wins that bidding war, YOU WIN.

You’ve seen it at your local auction when that certain vehicle rolls down the lane. You’ve seen it on TV with Barrett Jackson or some other BIG SHOW that puts a vehicle in a certain light and while the circle of buyers grows smaller the price goes up. What a concept. “Sure that works for them, but not for me,” I’ve heard dealers say. “I can’t do that.” Why not? Lots of dealers and individuals are doing it every day.

It’s called the PASSION Formula. And in this marketplace — and in most every economy over the last 100 years — there are examples of how passion beats price and profi ts go up.

For the majority (pay attention to that word) of dealers or businesses today, beating price means shrinking profi ts, it’s called a reverse-auction or more commonly called “a sale.” Even though the sales it leads to produce very little profi ts. If this continues over a long period of time it’s called a “Going Out Of Business Sale,” because no business can survive for long without profi ts.

In declining (or times where everyone calls them “declining”) markets, selling high-volume with low margins is a bit risky. Who are we kidding? Being in business is risky; selling with low profi ts is dangerous.

In the words of that great American entrepreneur Mark Twain (amazing self-promoter), “Whenever you fi nd yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and refl ect.”

If you are like the majority of business

owners or majority of dealers or majority of anything, you’re on the wrong side of radical success. There’s an ancient script that says “be not conformed.” Don’t be like everyone else, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Even though most everyone you ask would tell you that they want to be successful (you mean profi table?), the most successful individuals are certainly in the minority. And they are constant learners, always in search of new ideas. What’s the last great idea you learned about?

In the past few weeks, I’ve seen passion beat price with a Crossfi re convertible with all the “wish list” items my son wanted in his next car (P.S. — We bought it ONLINE and fl ew 300 miles to pick it up). I’ve spoken at an exclusive cigar dinner with the parking lot so full there was nowhere to park (wonder if they know what the price of gas is now?) and they snapped up over 100 boxes of premium-priced (nope, no discounts) cigars, many of which were signed by the cigar-maker himself, who attended the dinner as the special guest.

My daughter just drove four hours round-trip to attend a Broadway play with a friend and I just returned from six days at Pebble Beach where I played a course I’ve had on my goals list for almost 20 years.

Boo-Yah, I LOVE this country. Every day, sun-shining, birds-singing, and profi t is going on!

None of these events were accomplished because of price. Price was certainly part of the equation, but was trumped in a big way because of passion. An overwhelming desire to buy, attend, purchase, status, positioning, travel, play, stay,… you fi ll in the blank.

Maybe the best I’ve ever heard it described is by CEO Robert Tillman of Lowe’s. He said “Michael, someone who is passionate about gardening will pay $1,000 for a Japanese Maple Tree…but they still want the cheapest mulch. Because no one is passionate about mulch.”

(“Yeah, I’ll take 10 bags of your $1.99

mulch…and give me that $1,000 Japanese maple tree over there.”)

Price takes a back-seat to THE EXPERIENCE or the desire or the passion.

Disney knows it. Las Vegas knows it. Harley Davidson knows it. Ferrari knows it. And as you’re reading this you know it too, because at some point in your life you’ve done it. You have experienced the passion formula at work.

All too often, just lowering the price means lowering your standards or lowering the value you provide to the marketplace. And if there’s nothing very special about what you do or how you do it — in essence if people aren’t very passionate about it — then you’re just selling a commodity that they can get somewhere else.

If everyone else does what you do, why does this marketplace need YOU? Tough question. But asking the tough questions forces you and me to get better — or go home.

This is the most sophisticated marketplace the world has ever known and the economy is not the problem. Not adapting to economic conditions is a much greater problem. The lack of new ideas and can-do attitudes is a much greater problem. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy and get caught up in the list of excuses and who’s to blame for why we’re not doing better.

Don’t fall for that one. Create passion in your prospective buyers. Do something remarkable in the way you show it, sell it, deliver it, service it or attract people to it. Commit to getting better and the marketplace will notice and write you bigger checks.

If you’d like my short list of other “price-beaters” that generate BIG PROFITS, e- mail me at the address below.

Michael York is an author and professional speaker. He can be contacted by e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MichaelYork.com.1

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DaymondDecker

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Outsourced ChatEver send a question via e-mail to a

company, but didn’t get an answer for three days, or never got an answer?

You’d never let that happen to your customers, right? Well, outsourced live chat makes sure your customers get all the information they

need so that the potential customer researching the cars on your Web site becomes the person driving a car off your lot.

With a “live chat” button on your Web site, the visitor can immediately contact an agent to ask a question or just get general information they may or may not have read

on the site about a vehicle or your dealership. Trained agents are there 18 hours a day to engage your customers and alert you as soon as the customer is ready to buy.

Just like the irritation you feel when you call a customer service number, only to get a computer trying to answer your questions by asking you to push buttons on your phone, online car shoppers want to talk to a real person, but they may not want to pick up the phone. With live chat, they can speak with a person while they perhaps do something else on their computers, like work (nobody wants their bosses to hear them calling about a car on company time).

Live chat gets real results: 63 percent of buyers are more likely to buy from a dealer if the Web site has live chat. Chat prospects are serious buyers: 88 percent plan to buy a vehicle in less than a month. Top dealers are closing 15 to 30 percent of live chat customers per month. And customers are less likely to walk away: 60 percent will go elsewhere if they don’t get an answer within an hour.

Outsourcing live chat means you don’t have to hire any additional staff – you pay a small fee and trained professionals take care of your customers the way you want them to. During the course of conversation, they will capture 12 different data points from the customer and alert you immediately when the buyer appears to be “in market” now.

At the close of each conversation, the provider will send you transcripts of the chats, so you know exactly what went on. They’ll tell you about vehicle specifi cs, fi nancing options and trade-in data, and they can even schedule appointments for you.

And don’t worry about the agents; they’ll represent you well. They’ll get to know your dealership’s brands, personality, inventory and methods, as well as have a strong understanding of the automotive industry. They take care of your customers the way you want them to.

Live chat gives your online customers the same personal care that they get when they walk onto your lot, so that they don’t just continue surfi ng until they get the information they need. You can stop them in their tracks and they won’t bother going anywhere else.

Daymond Decker is the product marketing manager for ADP Digital Marketing. He can be contacted at 866.507.9577, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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PhilCalvert

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Improve YourNext Direct Mail Event

In the past 12 years, I have seen a dynamic

shift in the direct mail business. Years ago, almost any mail piece would create enough response for a decent event. Today, mail is more sophisticated and demands that we not only create a more campaign-specifi c response, but also manage it properly.

The seven steps to improve your next direct mail event are:

1. The Right Direct Mail CompanyWhen choosing a direct mail company, there are four important questions to ask:

• How long has the company been in business?

• Can the company provide you with a comprehensive reference list?

• Does the company have experience in new, used, prime and subprime marketing?

• Is the company an active member of the local Better Business Bureau, and in good standing?

Once you’ve identifi ed the right direct mail company, sit down with them and organize a plan to meet your objectives.

2. Dealer ObjectiveMost dealers really only want one thing: to sell more cars during a mail campaign. Meeting a dealer’s objective of selling more cars is generally met with two types of mailers — the saturation mailer and the specifi cally targeted mailer. At this point, a dealer should select a proper amount of mail in order to realistically meet his sales objectives.

3. The PlanA sound direct mail marketing plan consists of four main components:

• The list — derived from the dealer’s database or a purchased list

• The offer — the reason to respond• The presentation — the mail piece

itself• Lead process management — inbound-

call live response and unsold follow-up

4. The DealershipThe next time you pull into your dealership, stop and take a hard look at the parking lot, the inventory, the building and the messages painted on the showroom windows. What is the image you see? Ask yourself, “Would I buy a car here?”

Now, let’s get ready for a successful sales event. Clean the parking lot and have plenty of parking available. Paint special messages on your showroom windows relative to the marketing campaign. Place balloons on every car in the showroom and keep fresh popcorn in the popcorn machine. Hang special event signs on the front line. Hang tags from the mirrors relative to the event. Make an event evaluation checklist and use it.

5. Sales PersonnelToday, many sales departments have been experiencing a slowdown in showroom traffi c. A direct mail event can change that, but don’t let your team miss sales opportunities. Prepare your sales team before the event starts. Review the type of mailer and number of mail pieces that have been sent out. Try to forecast what percentage of people will show, based on the size and type of mailer. For example: A 10,000-piece mailer should result in a show rate of 0.5 to 1.5 percent, or 50 to 150 people. Your sales team must be prepared for the increase in showroom traffi c.

Your sales process should be designed relative to the marketing campaign, as well. For example: A customer-appreciation event will be very different from a tent-sale event, because of the type of prospects. Thus, your sales process should complement the mailer.

6. Lead Management Managing lead fl ow for any event is very different from managing showroom leads on a day-to-day basis. Generally, a mail event

has a start and a stop date, which creates urgency. This is where CRMs, IVRs and call-recording systems fail; these products were never designed to increase sales during an event.

For most dealers, I recommend the use of a professional business development company when it comes to handling inbound calls and follow-up. Today, most mail pieces have a toll-free number printed right on the front of the mailer; some even inform the prospect to call the toll-free number and schedule an appointment. Handling those calls properly is critical. If the mail piece says we are having a tent sale and the prospect dials the toll-free number, the call should be answered, “Are you calling about our tent sale?” During the event, any prospects that leave the dealership without purchasing should be followed-up on immediately, and given the opportunity to come back during the event.

7. After the Mail EventScenario One: It’s Monday morning and your three-day event was a success. Your sales team is busy fi nalizing paperwork and scheduling deliveries. Everything is good because everyone made money.

Scenario Two: It’s Monday morning and your three-day event was disappointing. Your sales team is busy talking about what should have or could have happened if things were different.

Regardless what the results are, I always recommend a BDC post-event program. Monday morning, professional business development agents start calling prospects who decided not to buy during the event. During the conversation, agents offer prospects an opportunity to come back and purchase any time during the next four days. Using this process can change the fi nal results — disappointing events become good events, and good events become great events. Most people believe at the end of the three- or four-day event, the opportunity to purchase is over. That’s not the case. Having a proper follow-up gives new life to your event.

Phil Calvert is the president and founder of Pinnacle Direct Marketing and PinnacleBDC.com. He can be contacted at 866.855.5925, or by e-mail [email protected].

Using this process can change the fi nal results — disappointing events become good events, and good events become great events. Most people believe at the end of the three- or four-day event, the opportunity to purchase is over. That’s not the case.

24


26


JodyDeVere

Speaking Her Language on the Service Drive

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Not only do women account for more than

half of all vehicles sold in the U.S., today they are the driving force in the service department. Check out these facts:

• 83 percent of women are responsible for the maintenance of their own vehicles

• Women represent 73 percent of service facility customers

• Women carry 76 million credit cards; eight million more than men

• 85 percent of CSI surveys are completed by women

The service department is crucial to the profi tability of your dealership. It is important to your sales to be an effective communicator with women customers. These skills require some rethinking of your approach to be more successful.

Some of the most frequent concerns from women are about repair terminology and the manner in which they are approached by service advisors. They report feeling intimidated and confused, and sometimes they are even spoken down to by the advisor. The lack of patience some advisors display is considered by women to be extremely unnerving and rude.

Here are a few tips that will help you communicate more effectively with women. Whatever you can do to establish and maintain a relationship with a woman customer will make her feel more comfortable, and therefore build a trusted long-term relationship with your service organization. Establishing a connection should be your primary goal. If you do that, the sale will almost take care of itself. One of the fi rst things that you need to do is listen

to her, without interrupting her.

Women talk twice as much as men, and it is imperative that you listen to them effectively. It is important that you allow her to express her concerns and not try to answer her questions before she fi nishes asking them. The most important thing is to talk to her with respect, using plain English explanations and terminology, and do not talk down to her. If you take the time to patiently explain the repairs and the benefi ts of having the work done, you will be much more successful.

Communication is the most important aspect you need to work on. Women — especially working women with children — are on a very tight schedule, so providing them accurate information on the time their vehicle will be ready, and respecting their

time, will go a long way in building a strong relationship.

Sometimes just being truthful isn’t enough. Many women want validation from others on what they were told at the dealership. They don’t necessarily think you are lying to them, but their frustration or concern comes from the way they are being spoken to. When you spend the time to explain the process in a common sense, respectful manner — and avoid being patronizing — you avoid the doubt and the distrust.

The next important tip is to make sure that if a man and woman come into the service drive together, and it is her vehicle, you address her. Most people make the mistake of addressing the man and ignoring the woman. About 85 percent of the time, she is the fi nal decision maker on the family budget and expenditures for repairs on the family vehicles.

Some other ideas to help you build a relationship with your female customers:

• Respect her time and time constraints. Understand that she is usually on a tight time frame. Look for evidence of children — that may be a clue to some of the activities that she is working around. Respecting her time will go a long way to foster a strong relationship.

• Ask her what her concerns are about the service, and then listen and do not interrupt.

• Take the time to explain the work that needs to be done and, if possible, show her on the vehicle or a picture of the system why the repair is necessary.

• If she comes in for a regular service interval, show her in her owner’s manual what needs to be done, along

with the benefi ts of having the work done. Do not just tell her what needs to be done and expect her to take you at your word.

• Focus her on the need for her to keep current on preventative care to avoid costly repairs and keep her safe on the road. Keeping her vehicle up to date on her regular service intervals avoids break downs and being stranded alone on the highway.

• Have a child play area available in your waiting area and provide women’s magazines — these small

changes go a long way in helping women feel welcome and appreciated at your dealership.

These tips are just a few that will help you establish a long-term trusted relationship with your female customers in your service organization.

Jody DeVere is the president of the Woman’s Automotive Association International and president of AskPatty.com. She can be contacted at866.849.9973, or by e-mail [email protected].

Most people make the mistake of addressing the man and ignoring the woman. About 85 percent of the time, she is the fi nal decision maker on the family budget and expenditures for repairs on the family vehicles.

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SeanV.Bradley

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Internet Sales20 Group IV

Hello everyone, and again thanks so much

for all of your e-mails. I have a lot to go over with you this month. First, I’m going to change gears — instead of giving away Flip Video cameras, I’m offering pre-paid registrations (retail value $590 each) to the 2008 Synergy Sessions Event in New Orleans (May 13 - 14). A lot of people have already registered, and this is shaping up to be another sell-out event. Now let’s jump right into this month’s letter. We’ve edited part of it to maintain focus for our readers:

Hi Sean:My name is Tom Pion. My family and I run a Pontiac, Buick, GMC franchise in Chicopee Massachusetts (www.pionauto.com). I am 23 years old, and have been working full time for two years at our dealership. Right now, my main job is to be the Internet and Used Car Manager, responsible for buying and selling vehicles at auctions. We’re a smaller GM franchise, sell about 55 vehicles a month (30 used, 25 new) and don’t have a big budget when it comes to advertising or Internet expenses. Since I’ve been there, I’ve doubled the traffi c to our Web site.

My father still has reservations about the Internet and technology, but I’ve been able to get him to use third parties such as AutoTrader.com and Vehix. My dilemma seems to be quality leads. I keep our Web sites fresh, with different banners and backgrounds every couple months and update new and used specials every week, but I don’t see as many Internet leads as I’d like.

It’s also hard being in a smaller store, where not only do I have to do the Internet which means I have to keep three sites updated with pictures, comments and prices, but I still need to go to the auctions, which are two days a week, and make sure our cars have current Kelley Blue Book stickers and are priced correctly.

Now, I know realistically I can’t compete on the same level with bigger dealers, because they have a bigger budget to work with. I saw your article in AutoSuccess and I thought you had some great ideas and tips. My main question for you is, “If you were a dealer with a small budget, where or what would you use it on?”

What Web sites or lead providers do you think would give me the biggest bang for my buck? I need to show a good ROI to make

my father a little more comfortable before taking that big leap. Sincerely,Thomas F. Pion, Internet ManagerBob Pion Buick Pontiac GMC

This letter from Thomas mirrors the concerns of thousands of smaller dealerships across the United States, and hopefully I can provide some ideas on where to get a good bang for the buck.

Based on your e-mail, Thomas, it seems as though you have the basics already down. You have a Web site and some leads. As far as technology goes, the only other thing I would highly recommend is a lead management tool or CRM.

I truly believe that implementing an Internet Lead Management (ILM) and/or CRM program is the most important tool for a dealership. A bad ILM/CRM process can drastically hinder a department. What you want to look for are tools that have a strong “Internet” component. Traditionally CRM tools have a weak Internet Sales component. One very cost effective ILM/CRM to consider would be AVV WebControl.

You said that your biggest challenge is quality leads and the two lead source providers you have are AutoTrader.com and Vehix. First things fi rst; you need to identify exactly what type of units you are trying to sell. Are you focusing on new, used or Special Finance units? You can fi nd lead source providers & aggregators that specialize in each of those categories?

CarsDirect and Dealix are great for new car leads, AutoTrader.com and Cars.com for used, and Interactive Financial and 1-800 communications for special fi nance leads. I do believe that a dealership should diversify its lead source portfolio. The truth is, however, that the absolute best-quality leads are those coming from traffi c to your own Web site. Historically, these leads close at double the closing ratio over third-party lead providers.

There are three main ways to drive traffi c to your Web site. In order of importance, they are:

• Video Search Engine Optimization (VSEO)

• Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), such as focus or micro sites

• Pay Per Click/Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Hands down, VSEO and Organic SEO is the way to go — especially if you are looking for the biggest bang for your buck.

I want to give you some FREE suggestions: • Post your pre-owned inventory

anywhere and everywhere on sites such as Craig’s List (www.craigslist.org). Used cars are inventory-based opportunities. You need to get as much visibility as possible for your inventory.

• Utilize Web sites like Best Place (www.bestplaces.net). This site is very strategic. It allows you to focus your energy with clinical precision, versus the “shotgun” approach. Just plug in your ZIP code, or the ZIP codes that you are trying to target or conquer, and you’ll get a powerful demographic breakdown of the area.

Now, armed with those demographics, you can begin to create targeted campaigns. If, for example, your ZIP code has a large African-American population, you can fi nd FREE social networking Web sites like www.blackplanet.com (the African-American version of MySpace), and create profi les for your dealership toward the African-American community. You can do the same for any demographic. There are social networking Web sites for ethnic groups, gender and religion.

The absolute best idea I have for you really isn’t an “Internet” idea — it’s a “BDC” idea. You need to target your customer base, creating campaigns via, e-mail, direct mail, text messaging and, of course, phone calls. Prior customers have a higher closing ratio than your fresh opportunities. Plus they are FREE! So put data mining on your radar. I would look to create campaigns not just for sales, but also for service, as well.

Thomas, I truly want you to be successful. I am going to give you two free passes to attend this year’s Synergy Session in New Orleans. You will have two days of very powerful information by our industry’s elite. You will be my personal guest and we will have time privately to sit down and go over a plan for your dealership.

Sean V. Bradley is the CEO and founder of Dealer Synergy. He can be contacted at 866.648.7400, or by e-mail at [email protected].

30


ChrisSchueller From the Roofto the Rims:

Giving Customers the Vehicle They Want

While exhibiting at this year’s NADA

event in San Francisco, I had more dealers talk to us about the drop in their profi tability over 2007 and were all asking us the question, “What are we going to do for 2008?”

In today’s extremely competitive new car market, dealerships need to look at their business through the eyes of their customers. What is it that makes a customer want that truck or car? Why did they stop at your dealership when it looks like you have the same product as the previous fi ve other lots they visited that weekend? Most importantly, why are they going to buy from you instead of the next guy? More than ever, we fi nd ourselves in a time and place when we must re-invent our dealer business to the customers and listen to what they are asking for.

New light truck and SUV sales now account for 54 percent of all vehicles sold domestically. Then, consider that three

out of every fi ve customers admitted that they will be buying $1,500 to $8,000 of accessories within the next 60 to 90 days for that new purchase. When asked why they went to independent shops, the No. 1 answer given was “I would have purchased from the dealer and fi nanced it in the package, but they didn’t offer the products I wanted.” That’s a powerful statement.

Accessorizing vehicles on your lot isn’t enough. I know some of you just sat back in your chair expecting a sales pitch on why accessorizing vehicles is the answer. It is part of the answer but by no means is it the entire answer. Having the right product that ensures a sale — not a warranty problem later — and being aware of the hot trends is enough right there to make up the minds for most owners to just say “no.” Having the right dealer services company and team helping your dealership do this is absolutely key to your success. There are three questions you should ask yourself before going down this path:

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Show Your Phone is just one of the featureswe’re adding to IMN Loyalty Driver to drivesales. Get the full story: call 866.964.6397, ext. 214 or email [email protected].

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Does This Dealer Services Company Know the Market?Trends shift quickly and without the help of a great accessorizing company you will only see trucks sit on your lot with no write ups.

Will This Company EducateMy Dealership?The company you select must help your staff — from sales to service — understand the benefi ts and features of the products on your lot. Without this, your staff comes across, not as enthusiasts catering to your clientele in your area, but merely another “me too” company.

Will This Company Commit toMy Success?The company should be there to help you sell the products with advertising, marketing campaigns, on-lot weekend promotions and, most of all, a shared business commitment to actually help you, the dealer, move product. Merely taking your order and dropping the product should only be the beginning of the transaction, not the end.

For a free market analysis for your dealership, and an examination at what hasn’t worked in the past, please e-mail me at the address below. Make sure 2008 is your year.

Chris Schueller is the director of sales and marketing for Advanced Truck Accessories. He can be contacted at866.832.3811, or by e-mail [email protected].

In today’s extremely competitive new car market, dealerships need to look at their business through the eyes of their customers. What is it that makes a customer want that truck or car?

SusanBurke Back to the Basics

Many successful business people have

referred to a popular story about Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers. When he began his tenure as coach of the Packers, he wanted to make sure the team had a solid foundation, so he got them together and said, “Let’s start at the beginning. This is a football.”

So, let us start at the beginning. This is 2008 and there are more than 216 million Internet users in the US — that’s more than 72 percent of the population. In order for your dealership to survive, you need an effective digital marketing solution. The foundation of a successful automotive digital marketing solution is to have the right vision, strategy, tools, people and processes in place. A well-thought out and executed initiative will create quality traffi c, increased closing percentages, increased sales, profi ts and —most importantly — customer loyalty. Here are some core elements that are essential to your online marketing platform:

• Launch a virtual dealership Web site that promotes all profi t centers with the dealership: new, used, F&I, service, parts and more.

• Promote and market the virtual dealership without spending a lot of money.

• Use the virtual dealership to create more quality traffi c to the showroom, phone and Internet department for less cost.

• Provide staff with a user-friendly CRM tool to manage and measure all prospect activity, Internet leads, phone leads, follow-ups and renewals.

• Improve processes for handling Internet, phone and showroom leads by utilizing high-impact media-enriched e-mail tools to communicate and follow-up with customers to increase closing ratios, average profi ts and CSI.

• Provide sales staff with easy-to-use digital marketing tools on the showroom fl oor to help them increase sales and profi t by building value in the dealership and the product.

• Train employees to interact with the modern Internet-informed buyer with a positive approach that results in more profi table sales and customers for life.

• Set up a complete follow-up strategy that helps staff follow through with unsold prospects.

• Utilize automated tools that keep in contact and build relationships with customers.

• Develop a prospecting strategy that targets “ready to buy” customers from customer base in an effort to renew customers into a new vehicle.

• Implement an ongoing customer contact program that keeps customers loyal to service and sales departments.

• Provide management with the tools necessary for precision tracking and measurement of digital initiatives and advertising campaigns in order to continually monitor, manage and improve results.

In today’s highly competitive market, many successful dealerships are utilizing their online marketing strategies to drive loyalty and frequency to all profi t centers including sales, parts and service departments. Buying a vehicle is an emotional experience, and digital marketing strategies should be designed around this fundamental truth. Go back to the basics. Find a reliable marketing partner who understands the automotive industry, and can defi ne, design, develop, deliver and continuously measure and improve your dealership’s results.

Susan Burke is the senior product marketing manager at ADP Dealer Services. She can be contacted at866.855.5923, or by e-mail [email protected].

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A well-thought out and executed initiative will create quality traffi c, increased closing percentages, increased sales, profi ts and —most importantly — customer loyalty.

32


KarenUriarte 2008 SynergySessions Update

STS

AutoSuccess is proud to be working with

Dealer Synergy and The Dubis Group to present the 2008 Synergy Sessions. We asked Karen Uriarte of Dealer Synergy to tell us about speakers who will be appearing, along with updates for this must-see event.

Things are really ramping up — exciting things are happening for this year’s Synergy Session. It is going to be amazing. We just locked in the location for the VIP party: It’s going to be at the legendary House of Blues! We are going to have open bar, food and an awesome live band. We are really working hard to make this event off the charts. Here are the speakers that are going to be attending:

We have D.J. Harrington who is a certifi ed public speaker. He’s also known as the CAR-Diologist and is a nationally recognized trainer and motivational speaker. D.J. has been the keynote speaker at events that held thousands and thousands of people. You do not want to miss him.

Charlie Vogelheim, the vice president of JD Power and Associates, will also be speaking, as well as moderating a panel of dealer experts. On the panel will be Bill Finocchario, dealer principal of Peruzzi Toyota, Bill has a tremendously successful Internet department that went from 30 units a month to more than 107. Dave Metter, the chief marketing offi cer of the MileOne group, will also be on the panel. MileOne has more than 65 dealerships in their group. MileOne has one of the most amazing programs for e-commerce on the planet. Ed Naczi, director of business development at Herb Chambers will be on the panel, sharing his powerful formula for success, which consists of learning from his past experience in the business world, implementing a rigorous employee-training program, and maintaining a steadfast faith in process, process, process.

The panel will also include Lindsey Toscano of Nelson Mazda. Lindsey has achieved national recognition for taking her Internet department from seven units a month to more than 80. She was on the cover of Digital Dealer magazine, and has received the “Most improved dealership”

award from the Association of Automotive Internet Sales Professionals (AAISP). Jeff Kershner, president of DealerRefresh will also be on the panel. Jeff has by far one of the most popular blogs in the automotive sales industry at www.DealerRefresh.com. Thousands of automotive professionals visit Jeff’s blog daily. He will bring a very unique perspective to the panel.

But wait — there’s more.

We have senior executives from:• Dealer.com• CarsDirect.com• TK Carsites• AutoTrader.com• Royal Administration• BZ Results• HomeNet• vAuto• @utoRevenue• Skoots.com• Dealix• Dealer Synergy• Franklin Covey

Let me elaborate on those last two: The Franklin Covey organization will be working with Sean V. Bradley to co-create the fi rst ever workshop / presentation of Dr. Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People for the automotive industry. There are more than 15 million copies of that book in print, and arguably it is the most infl uential business book of our time. DeVerl Austin

from Franklin Covey and Sean V. Bradley are going to create the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Online Dealerships.” This truly is going to be amazing to watch. The whole event has been methodically planned out by Dealer Synergy, AutoSuccess and The Dubis Group.

For all of you who don’t know Mark Dubis, let me tell you — he is one of the most “best kept secrets” of our industry. Mark is the former editor of Digital Dealer magazine, and was also one of the architects of the AAISP, what now is known as the Digital Dealer Conferences. Mark has worked with many of the major automotive magazines and media to create newsletters, blogs and some of the best trade shows in our industry. This is Mark’s third year co-creating the “Synergy Sessions.”

I have to tell you that we are so proud of what we are putting together. We are as excited as all of the dealers who are calling us to sign up. This year is going to be the biggest year ever. We are expecting hundreds and hundreds of dealers to attend, and we are well on our way. So please sign up soon, before the event sells out. We only do this once a year!

Multimedia, video production, industry experts, dealer experts, synergy, networking, excitement, prizes, giveaways, FUN, education, information, motivations, passion, energy, inspiration, senior executives, gurus, leaders, founders, dealer groups, some of the largest dealerships in the world, the prestigious W hotel, VIP party, House of Blues, live band, food, breakfast, lunch, open bar, limos…. All I can say is, from the bottom of my heart, you do not want to miss this event. I can’t wait to see you all in New Orleans!

For more information about the 2008 Synergy Session, or to sign up, please go to www.synergysessions.com.

Karen Uriarte is the vice president of business development for Dealer Synergy. She can be contacted at 866.698.8719, or by e-mail [email protected].

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We are as excited as all of the dealers who are calling us to sign up. This year is going to be the biggest year ever. We are expecting hundreds and hundreds of dealers to attend, and we are well on our way.

Many of those dealers are small- to medium-sized dealers in bad locations and selling brands that are anything but hot. Did they invest a bunch of money in their advertising that already wasn’t working? No. Did those dealers move to new fantastic locations that had customers fl ooding through the door? No. So what did these successful dealers do? All of those dealers had a few things in common. First, those dealers had a plan in four areas - People, Process, Product and Market Positioning. Secondly, these dealers all used Tewart Enterprises Inc to help them develop and implement the plan.

Every single one of these dealers increased sales traffi c, sales, gross profi t, sales and service repeat business and, most of all, NET PROFIT. Lots of people talk about these things but these dealers actually did it and I can prove it. Secondly, all of those dealers will tell you they could not have accomplished those things without the cutting-edge strategies and information they received and the coaching process to implement them.

Many of our clients increased sales anywhere from 25% to over 100% and increase gross profi t by $400 to over $1,000 per vehicle and some increased their bottom lines by more than $1,000,000!

You can have the same results!

So what do you do? You don’t go to failed dealers to get advice. You don’t go to guys who have three years of lousy retail experience to fi nd out how to sell. You go to someone who knows the game. You go to Tewart Enterprises Inc. We have 15 years of success in the dealership education fi eld and hundreds of years of experience between our team members.

“Our dealership has used Tewart Enterprises for more than four years. We have had more than a 20% increase in sales, and increased our average gross profi ts by more than $400 a vehicle and our net profi ts have soared.”

Lonnie Robertson, Dealer , Johnson’s of Chickasha, Chickasha, OK

“It just works. That is the best way to sum up the Tewart Contrarian Auto Concepts Sales

and Management techniques. I was very skeptical at fi rst; the whole process put me way out of my comfort zone. We gave it a try and wow what a difference it has made. Our grosses went up 30% on the front end, and we added almost 50% in the back end. The best part is of that is that our sales also increased over 25% and continue to increase. Our sales people are no longer afraid to take proposals to customers. We now get more down payment, more shorter term fi nancing, and less haggling on trades.

This has been the best process we have ever implemented and I have tried many. I would recommend Tewart Enterprises to everyone, except my competition. Bottom line, it just makes lots of money.”

Gary Minneman, General ManagerSunshine Toyota, Battle Creek, Michigan

“A few years back I attended a seminar you presented and I took some unique ideas you gave me and implemented them. Our gross profi t increased by $1,500 a unit and we increased out net profi t by over $750,000. Thanks!”Chris Browning, Dealer Browining Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-GMC

OUR COMPANY IS NOT A TRAINING COMPANY – Training provides a sunburn effect… it’s short-lived and it fades and leaves you burned. We guarantee our results.

How does it work?We come to your dealership and provide education both in classroom format and then on the fl oor and with your managers. Unlike most so-called Gurus in our industry today, we actually do what we teach. We conduct educational sessions on a continual schedule in a way that does not take away from fl oor coverage and interrupt your business. We take our curriculum based upon sales skills, people skills, life skills and marketing skills and customize it for your personnel, location, customers and dealership marketplace. We don’t do the “one size fi ts all” type training.

Will you do this for any dealership?Absolutely not! We are selective about who we do business with. We are not trying to be everything to everyone. We leave that up to the ABC Soup of so-called training companies. We want results.

I am so confi dent in our people and the results they can bring to you, that I am willing to make this Guarantee:

After our strict selection process, if you are chosen as a candidate dealership, one of our certifi ed educator-coaches will come to your dealership for two days of pre-determined education sessions and implementation coaching. YOU PAY NOTHING UP FRONT!

We put our money where our mouth is. We will come to you and, after two days of pouring our heart and soul out to you and providing solutions that are worth millions of dollars potentially, then and only then if you see the value, do you pay us.

Here’s the bottom line…Call us at 888 2Tewart (888 283-9278) / 513 932-9526 and mention this ad or email us at [email protected] mentioning this ad and with your contact information or fax your business card to 513 934-4588 with the word “Results” written on it. We will be happy to give you all the details and information you desire as well as set up a consultation time to decide if you are a good candidate and if we are a good match for you.

Discover the Secret To How 37 Dealers Made Over $1,000,000 Net Profi t In a Bad Market

MARK TEWARTIndustry Consultant

P.S. Try this on for size. If your dealership is selected for the results program and after two days of our in-house session, you do not see the value, not only do you not pay us, I will pay you the fee that you would have paid us!

See my article on page 10

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