With the end of 2010 in sight, it’s time for proactive dealers to begin finalizing their plans for 2011. Where will you be this time next year? What new products, services, processes or procedures will you pilot? What will be the makeup of your tea

Are you as amazed as I am that the year is almost over? The good news is you still have ample time to pump up the volume in 2010 but you may have to re-think your traditional advertising mindset. In some markets the political ads for this mid-term el

If process is the foundation of superior Internet sales performance, then structure and people are what leverage that foundation to create success. Implement the right structure and people and your sales will soar. What structure and people optimize

While I was on a conference call with a dealer-client the other day, the Dealer Principal commented on the fact that his Internet sales manager had just reported that last month was “a record month for the BDC.” The dealer principal responded ver

In April, I attended the 8th Digital Dealer Conference and Exposition in Orlando. It’s a strong conference that’s held twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall. I have noticed a definite transition from five years ago when the att

In past articles I’ve shared my belief that the best way to immediately improve sales is simply getting better at what you do with existing leads, particularly interacting with customers. Statistics show that well executed communications with the c

What is the impact of word choice on sales? In a word, dramatic. When a customer submits a lead to a dealership, it is best practice to execute a multi-vehicle price quote within 10 minutes. It is also best practice to follow with a phone call in 10

While there has been much written about every business’s need to dive head first into social media – and even a few articles recently that attempted to put a dollar value on a Facebook fan – nearly all of these discussions miss the mark for

The entire history of auto sales has been defined by the dealer’s quest to control the selling process. Pre-Internet, that was straightforward: the customer walked in the door, the music started, and the Four Square Dance began. Today, the customer