1. Where do you work and what is the URL for your dealership(s).  Feel free to list multiple URL’s.

Swope Toyota in world famous Elizabethtown Ky. I say world famous because they filmed the movie “Elizabethtown” here. I was busy that day so they had Orlando Bloom fill in for me

The site I am responsible for is http://www.swopetoyota.com

Our affiliate sites include: swopeauto.com and swope.com

2.  How did you get into the Automotive Business?

After finishing my enlistment in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer (can you believe they let me play with explosives?) I was working for a local construction company and I noticed that the guys having all the fun and making all the money worked in the sales department <for that construction company>. I applied for a job in the sales department and I was told I needed to have some sales experience. I thought that the Automotive industry would be a great place to get some sales experience and help build my resume for that particular job. That was three Dealerships and eleven years ago!

What are you currently driving, and if you could have any other car what would that be?

I sold my Celica and my suv doesn’t start worth a T, so I will have to plead the 5th on this one… However a better question for me would be what do I ride? I currently have a Trek 2300 road bike, KHS XC 604, Trek 6700 hardtail mountain bike and parts from many others including a snapped frame from my Giant NRS made out of carbon fiber that you see in the pics below (if anyone reading this has some connections at Giant shoot me an email, I can’t seem to get any help on the warranty side of things). If I had my pick of any car and not have to worry about money constraints I would probably go with a tricked out Supra similar to the one pictured.

4.  What are you currently working on?  What’s your big push?

On the business side of things I would like to expand my auto actions in my current ILM with some compelling home brewed videos and take our email campaigns to the next level. So much to do so little time!

On the personal side of things I would like to finish remodeling my new home and get it ready for my wedding at the end of September. Yes after being single for 33 years I am making the plunge.

5. How would you rate the relationship between your Internet efforts and the traditional dealership departments on a scale of 1 to 10?  If you answered anything less than 10, what would you like to do to improve those relationships?

In the car business you can never rate yourself a ten because there is always room to improve and challenges to overcome. The area I would like to see more improvement, or awareness, would be in utilizing our tools and technology throughout the dealership to help close deals. Our website has a ton of information that can be accessed with a few clicks of the mouse, we have software that can help educate consumers on our very competitive market pricing and we have a ILM that can send out E brochures, videos and customer surveys. Many of our salespeople find these tools very valuable and recognize the ease of use, others not so
much.

6. If you had a limitless budget, how would you structure your department?

I would hire Christine Robertson to star in my videos! You’re doing a great job Christine! I told Alex the processing fees video is excellent.

7. What is your favorite thing about the Internet side of this industry?

Before I explain my favorite thing I would like to explain how I ended up in this particular side of the industry. In 2003 I became the GM Buypower Manager at the GM Dealership I worked for, they decided they had to have someone deal with those pesky Internet shoppers. So I acquired a PC for my desk and a shiny new plaque that said Buypower Manager. Our effort was minimal in those days and we all hoped this Internet fad would end before we went crazy. I recently cleaned out my Yahoo! account that I used back then (yes I said Yahoo) and looked over some of the old emails. To make a long story short I wouldn’t have purchased a car from myself back in my Buypower days. When I came to work at the Swope Family of Dealerships, they got wind of my previous position and decided to get serious about Digital Shoppers. The old website was axed to get on-board with Dealer.com and I got an Internet Lead Management tool. I have no idea how I survived without an ILM tool to track my contacts and leads. I am sure many of you remember the days of tracking down quotes in outlook and bcc’ing with mail merge codes..let me tell you that is not fun.

My favorite thing about this side of the industry is the technology that moves business along at quantum speeds, I like to look at E-Comm as the “special ops” of the industry, we get to play with all the latest and greatest technology not unlike special ops units in the military. I enjoy watching this thing grow, not everything can be measured by sold units, I love tracking the growth of our unique visitors to the site and seeing what campaign draws attention.

8. What is your favorite thing about Dealer Refresh?

My favorite thing about Dealer Refresh lies in the name; a place to refresh when technology goes bad. Yes, this business can get quite stressful at times, and not very many folks around the dealership have experience in dealing with the frustration that comes with trying to build rapport via emails when the consumer won’t pick up the darn phone or your pics won’t batch image upload correctly. Dealer Refresh is a place to refresh your thinking with new ideas that have worked for other Dealers or maybe someone sees a flaw in your process that you might have overlooked, and sometimes it feels good to just have a laugh or two about something that happened in the Ecomm world and refresh your train of thought. Dealer Refresh is a place that the new school ideology of the auto biz shines and the many contributors of Dealer Refresh realize that by sharing and improving the overall Ecomm experience for web shoppers that we will all prosper.

9.  Brian, you’re in the process of building a full studio for used car photographs – how did
that get started and how tough has it been getting it done?

Well I guess at this point in the game it has reached the unclassified level so I can go ahead and unveil operation IPIG (Internet Pictures Initiative Group)

We’re located in Elizabethtown Ky. (population 24,000) not exactly a huge metro area and we have folks that visit our store because of our marketing efforts online. We always strive to accommodate and serve our customers the best way possible and decided it was unfair for folks driving from a 100 miles away or more to make that decision without great high quality images. We had a strong need and desire to upgrade our photos so we could represent our vehicles online without any distractions or shadows. Our goal was not for brochure quality images but for images with great pictorial information that a web shopper can use to decide to visit our location or even purchase the car without a visit to our physical location.

IPIG was a group formed by Carl Swope our President and included many key individuals of our Auto Group; Susan Gifford our Marketing Director, Steve Phillips, Terry Constance, Andrew Sunkel, Ryan Callison, Ryan Hodges and myself did much of the research in house. The actual renovation of the old dusty garage that had been used for much of nothing except collecting junk into a magnificent photo studio to serve our customers was completed by Steve Phillips and Terry Constance. We had some issues that we had to overcome such as limited space to maneuver the vehicles that we were photographing, correct lighting with low ceilings, building inspectors (not fun) and the list goes on. In the end I think we could have improved in some areas but I have been very impressed with the test images we have shot so far. The pic below is not the finished product, we still have some lighting issues to work out but we should be shooting full time by mid-September.

10. What do you do outside of work?

In case you haven’t figured it out I like cycling and outdoor activities.

Start of Wild on Waverly mountain bike race 2007.  Yes Waverly Hills has a mountain bike trail, just don’t get lost!

This is at the end of the race, notice the pale look to my skin and the confusion in my eyes? In the cycling world that is known as blowing up, the fuel tanks are empty.

Dealer Refresh wants to thank Brian for his support and contributions.  That’s one hell of an undertaking you’ve got going on with that photo studio – we can’t wait to see the final results!  Good luck with wedding too.

I just wanted to bring it to everyone’s attention that those retail fanatics at Checkered Flag have a book written about them now.  Aside from learning more about that organization, and where Alex Snyder came from, all the proceeds from the book’s sale go to charity:  the United Way to be exact.

James D. Power (JD Power and Associates), Jim Lentz (President of Toyota USA), Tom Purves (President of BMW North America), and Edward Lapham (Executive Editor of Automotive News) have all written praise about it.  Not bad for a group of dealerships down in Southern Virginia!

“We All Win” tells the story of a 12 year old boy who had the courage to leave his family in Poland to search for a better life in the United States.  He began the tradition of excellence in customer service, for the Snyder family, in 1894 when he opened a department store in downtown Norfolk, VA.  Three generations of Snyders ran the store, until 1969.  While running Snyder’s department store, Ed Snyder was also running Checkered Flag; which he founded in 1964.  Ed started Checkered Flag with British automobiles and introduced lines such as Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, MINI, Scion, and smart to the Southern Virginia market.  Today,
we think of Toyota as a sure thing, but it wasn’t when Ed was awarded the franchise.  You’ll have to read the book to learn more about that, and the ridicule that came with it!

The story is quite inspiring, and definitely worth picking-up.  There isn’t much about our side of the industry in it, but I think you’ll get a good idea of what fuels Checkered Flag to do the things they have done on our side of the industry.

You can buy “We All Win” on Checkered Flag.com or find it on Amazon -  We All Win (links to hardcover – there is a softcover edition as well).  The author is actually a reader of Dealer Refresh and has posted a few times – her name is Audrey Knoth, and she did a great job!  The photographer ain’t too shabby either.

iPhone Users Can Now Access KBB Pricing, Video Reviews, Dealer Price Quotes. IRVINE, Calif., August 26, 2008 /PRNewswire/

Kelley Blue Book’s www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces the launch of its Web site optimized for iPhone users.  The free, feature-rich mobile site provides iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch users access to Kelley Blue Book’s top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, to obtain new and used vehicle information.  In addition, with the new kbb.com Web application, iPhone users will have the ability to view kbb.com videos, images, new car reviews and submit free dealer price quotes.

“Utilizing the kbb.com iPhone mobile Web site gives car shoppers an opportunity to quickly view reliable and trusted vehicle information from just about anywhere,” said Andy Lapin, director of architecture for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.  “Whether the shopper is sitting at home or standing on the dealership lot, they can easily locate Kelley Blue Book’s new and used car information with a few simple stokes to ensure they are making the right choice and getting a great deal.”

All iPhone 3G, first generation iPhone and iPod Touch users can access Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com Web application.  By locating the application through the Safari Web browser, users have the ability to bookmark the site and save it to their home-screen, making new- and used-car information readily available.  If consumers would like to access the full kbb.com Web site, they also can do so by clicking a link available within the application.

iPhone users will be automatically directed to the optimized Web site when they access www.kbb.com from their iPhone.

About Kelley Blue Book
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company’s top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information Web site among both new and used vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com.  Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, car reviews and news, used car blue book values, auto classifieds and car dealer locations. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com.

This video could be “slightly” offensive to some so watch at your own risk. It’s not really that bad but you never know. Either way, it’s freaking hilarious! I’m sure some of us can relate somewhat.

This years Jumpstart Automotive Think Digital Roundtable 08 was held at the beautiful
Silverado Resort in Napa, California.

The weather was perfect and the resort was a gorgeous place to hold a Roundtable session.

The agenda was packed tight with great discussions about contextual, display and behavioral advertising.

The morning started off with everyone’s favorite speechifier, the one and only Charlie Vogelheim of J.D. Power. As Charlie went through his slides and presentation, the one thing that stuck out was consumers are SLOWLY finding dealer websites to be more satisfying for their researching needs. Just think how effective we could be if the manufacturers would play nice and allow dealers to more easily use their content and model specific VIN decoding.

My favorite statistic and one that has not changed for over 3 years now; ONLY 20%  of online shoppers contact the dealer via online submission forms or by phone (give or take a few percentage points). Only 20%!

Steve Wilhite, President of Jumpstart Automotive was next onboard with his “uplifting” informative presentation “Marketing in a Down Economy – the Perfect Storm“. After the first new minutes of Steve’s presentation I wanted to pierce a dagger through my heart as he went through all the negative points of the current economy. I understand though, he wanted to start off strong by getting his point across in order to transition into why dealers AND manufacturers need to focus now more then ever on their marketing mix. It’s not just about the ad but about the message, and how you follow through with your message. What is the experience you’re offering the consumer once they click on your display ad? Does it flow into the next step OR is there a huge disconnect? After I wiped away my tears from the initial 5-10 minutes I was really intrigued with his presentation.

The morning quickly moved on to a panel discussion with David Metter (MileOne), Jeff Searcy (Gulf States Toyota) and David Rollo (22squared). Lots of topics covered here and if I had taken better notes, I would have shared them with you. Most of the conversation surrounded around a dealers “Marketing Mix” and why dealers have been so reluctant to get into digital advertising or what we like to call ‘New Marketing”.

Before lunch we had a breakout roundtable discussion. Our table was very interesting to say the least. I think we covered over 10 different subjects in a fast 45 minutes. One large topic of discussion was Reputation Management for dealers; where it’s heading and how dealers are going to handle it. I know for myself this has been my cool-aid for the last 12-15 months.

QUOTE of the DAY “Consumer Reports is the single most largest influencer on todays shopper” – Jack Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Auto Malls. Yes, he actually said that!

Lunch was good (sorry no photo, maybe next time).

After lunch we gathered back for a presentation with Brett Rubio from
EyeWonder. I had never heard of eyewonder until then. “EyeWonder was one of the original pioneers in video and rich media
advertising, and is now the definitive leading provider of Interactive
Digital Advertising products and services” – taken from the “Company” page of their website.

Together Brett and Eve Maindenberg (Senior Director of Creative for JumpStart) went on to show off some impressive display advertising. Eve talked about “Best Practices for Digital Creative” and how to use creative to support your campaign. One statistic that Eve mentioned that stuck out, “Online Video Ads achieve a greater branding impact with fewer impressions“.  I hope to have Eve do a guest post for us here in the near future.

After a quick break, we then went back into another roundtable breakout discussion. For some reason I kept staring out the window at the awesome blue sky and lost track of the discussion. I can be such a day dreamer! I did find my way back into the talks towards the end as everyone at the table was discussing how to track the true cost of display advertising. Tracking the effectiveness of display ads or “banner ads” is usually a touchy subject. The traditionalist looks at the CPM and how many people they can reach with the ad, where as the Internet marketer looks at the CPC and actual conversion. I’ve never tried to argue one over the other since I believe they both have validity. So I shared my thoughts of a 70/30 split; thirty percent of the banner ad cost going towards branding and consumer reach while the other 70% goes towards actual conversion and ultimately, conversion to sale. I have no idea where I got the percentages, so don’t ask. And if you want to argue about it, don’t waste your time because I have no reasoning behind it…but everyone thought it was an interesting approach to help track the cost/effectiveness of your dealers online display ads.

The day sorta came to a close with Keynote speaker; Todd Stainbrook – Digital Integration Manager for Ford Motor Company. Hummmm what do I say??  Well, it was quick and very very very general. Until the questions started rolling in..but then most of the questions he was unable or not allowed to answer. Someone asked about manufacturers scoring leads and if it should/would ever come into play. Then “someone” else slapped lead scoring in the face. Very interesting, at least to me. Ha!

That was the end of the Jumpstart Automotive Think Digital Rountable. Next Up..Dinner and Wine at
Pine Ridge Winery. Dinner was excellent and the jokes at the table were like no other. Sorry I had to cut my trip short and catch the red eye back to Bmore.

A big Props to the
Jumpstart Automotive crew (Steve, Rob, Jeff, Aaron, Dillon, Mitch, Eve, Lindsey and Laura and anyone else I missed) for putting on a great Think Digital Roundtable this year. As always, thanks for the invite!

Here are a
few more photos if you’re interested.

1.  Where do you work and what is the URL for your dealership(s).  Feel free to list multiple URL’s.

Sun Auto Group in Syracuse New York.  Visit us at:  UsedCarKing.com

2.  How did you get into the Automotive Business?

I loved cars ever since I was a kid. I belonged to SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and was quite good at ice racing (it always use to be cold enough to race on frozen lakes back then!).

Business Summary: I was a pioneer in Auto Accessories retail, my 1st store was a 3 bay garage behind a house and 6 years later I had and ran it up to  a multi-million dollar operation that grew to 3 stores. I cashed out in 94.

In 95, I became an online stock trader (there were NO online brokerages in 94). I paid the rent as a self-employed stock trader till 2000. During that period, I taught myself computers and how to build web sites. Worked for AOL in Personal Finance area.  I assisted in a  successful startup; SuperTraders.com (Run by a real stock picking Genius Jim DePorre).  In 2001, I built a site for a local Chevrolet store and was recruited to be their marketing director with an offer that I couldn’t turn down (its fun to say that!).  Recently, I moved to Sun AutoGroup, the UsedCarKing.com. THE big fish in our small market and a 110% believer in all things internet.

3.  What are you currently driving, and if you could have any other car what would that be?

Current:  06 Silverado 4×4 Crew (leased… thank God!).

Dreaming of:  AC Cobra.   As old as I am, but waaaay better looking.

4.  What are you currently working on?  What’s your big push?

A totally new web site. Built for SEO, video galore, CSS, dynamic content generator and so much more. Totally cutting edge (stay tuned). After that I am going to beat CRM or die trying.  vAUTO needs my attention too.

5.  How would you rate the relationship between your Internet efforts and the traditional dealership departments on a scale of 1 to 10?  If you answered anything less than 10, what would you like to do to improve those relationships?

Sun Auto Group is not your father’s dealership .  The internet is mission critical here. We have >1,000 used units on the ground, the reps use the site as part of their qualifying and presentation.  The owner’s son (Todd Caputo) is young and gifted entrepreneur.  He has his foot jammed on the throttle and his instincts are on the money, time and time again.

6.  If you had a limitless budget, how would you structure your department?

see CheckeredFlag.com <snicker> Gotcha Alex!

7.  What is your favorite thing about the Internet side of this industry?

I don’t see where this all ends! Hahaha… love it!

8.  What is your favorite thing about Dealer Refresh?

The brains. Lotsa smart players here.

9.  Joe, you used to be on the vendor side of the aisle, if there is one thing you can tell dealers about how to deal with vendors, what would that be?

I’ve been to Vegas at least 25 times, to SEMA, CES and NADA.  I’ve worked both sides of the aisle, as a buyer and a seller. There is no one way I deal with all vendors.  The most important vendors are the  mission criticals with complex items and have a lot of promise in it. And even here there are no 2 alike.  Lets look at 2 & compare my web builder HomeNet(HN) and my CRM provider ReyRey.

With HN, I take on a partner mentality.  They committed to my big vision and they’re killing themselves to executing it to as close as I drew it up.  Flowers of gratitude to Jesse B’s team, Matt, Tammy, Chris, Mike and more.  They are effort-ing above and beyond the call of duty.

With ReyRey, go ahead and try to warm up to that vendor.  NOT.
Hahaha… hey! No hate mail from your R&R troopers! Seriously, ReyRey’s CRM is mission critical, yet the reps can’t help you with the day to day issues.  No partnering feel here,  so, the sales guys get a lil’ bit o’ Junk Yard Dog from me.  Yet (I’ve said it here before) ReyRey’s tech support is world class.  All that being said, why does it take 400 hours to master R&R’s CRM platform?  Can any dealer be using more than 5% of its potential… oh oh… I’m rambling again.

I’d say the most valuable tool in vendor relations is knowing which vendor can help you reach your goals, then make that vendor your partner.  Sell that vendor your vision with a smile and back slapping enthusiasm and you’ll find above average service and someone who gives a sh*t about you, because you need them. And in the end, tell me, who doesn’t like to be needed?

10.  What do you do outside of work?

I am a golf Junkie. Tiger calls me when Elin (his wife) wants him to do yard work.

Ain’t Photoshop grand? Oh. I’m the guy in the back

Dealer Refresh wants to thank Joe Pistell for his continued contributions and support!  Good luck on the new website Joe, and please stay away from Photoshop

If anyone has questions or comments for Joe, please leave those after the article on this page:  click here (the normal comment spot).

Be careful! Dealix is/was purchasing leads from a lead provider “New Car America” and it could be a scam.

My good friend and dealer owner brought this to my attention after speaking to a CUSTOMER (over the phone) that filled out the lead form. The phone conversation with the gentlemen that apparently filled out the lead form, supposedly confirmed that he was being paid to fill out leads request forms at $5.00 per form. The gentlemen went as far to say that he got the job by answering to a “work from home” ad.

• I did a little research and found their actual website.

http://www.newcaramerica.com/

Taken from their “About Us” page.

“NewCarAmerica.com is committed to providing consumers direct access to automobile dealers across the United States. Our automobile directory helps our users quickly find dealers in their area. Thru the use of the latest technology, such as our new car quote service and daily Blog on topics effecting today’s car and truck buyers, we provide the fastest information available to help you buy your next car or truck.”

• I did some more research and found their registration information.

Registration Service Provided By: BuffaloWeb Services, LLC

Visit: http://www.buffalowebhosting.com
Domain name: newcaramerica.com

Registrant Contact:
NewcarAmerica, Inc.
(I did remove the personal contact information)

• Here is a copy of the lead from Dealix.

————————————–
DEALIX CORPORATION SALES LEAD
————————————–
Michael Hopkins has asked to be contacted specifically by your dealership regarding the 2008 Nissan Titan 4WD below. Please contact them as soon as possible.
————————————–
Lead No.:    1217054999
Received On: 8/3/2008 12:02:00 PM (PST)
————————————–
CUSTOMER INFORMATION:

Name:        Michael Hopkins
Address:     Valley View Ave
City:        Lewistown
State:       PA
Zip:         17044
Distance:    Customer is approx. 19.6961722717323 mi. from you
E-mail:      mshopp69@yahoo.com
Phone:
Best Time:   Morning
Purchase Time Frame:  Within 2 weeks
————————————–
REQUESTED VEHICLE:

Year:         2008
Make:         Nissan
Model:        Titan 4WD
Trim:         XE Crew Cab Short Bed
Engine:       Not Specified
Transmission: Not Specified
Ext. Color:   No Preference
Int. Color:   No Preference
————————————–
ADDITIONAL INFO AND CUSTOMER NOTES:

No Trade-In Specified.
Payment Method: Cash
SPECIAL NOTES ON THIS LEAD:
Customer is approx. 19.7 mi. from you.
————————————–
CONTACT DEALIX:

Your Dealix Service Representative is:
Steve C. Diacont, 412-727-7857 (removed email)

It’s our goal to send you the very best sales leads in the business.
————————————–

After bringing this to Dealix’s attention, they did say they researched the lead and too called the customer to confirm that the gentlemen was indeed being paid to fill out the lead forms.

Props to Dealix for doing the research (I guess?) and for crediting the dealer for all the leads that had came from New Car America. It still concerns me that Dealix would even buy leads from a lead generator like this, just look at the website.

• Here is a copy of the email from the support rep at Dealix (take notice to his signature..he.).

Hi Jeff,

These are the 4 leads that you received from New Car America, i have compd them.  I will stay on top of this and let you know when we have a resolution.

(see attached)

Thank You
Steve Diacont
Delaix
412-980-8377

This is total crap! I encourage EVERYONE that is purchasing leads from Dealix or ANY 3rd Party Lead provider to be sure you’re NOT careful buying leads from New Car America.

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: AutoTrader.com and Cars.com Each Rank Highest in Satisfying Dealers With Online Vehicle Buying Services in Their Respective Segments

J.D. Power and Associates WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 19 — Among online buying services, AutoTrader.com ranks highest in satisfying dealers with new-vehicle leads, while Cars.com ranks highest in satisfying dealers with used-vehicle leads, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services Study(SM) released today.

The study, which measures dealer satisfaction with online buying services, ranks vehicle-lead providers in two segments: independent new-vehicle and independent used-vehicle. Within those segments, four factors measure overall dealer satisfaction with online lead providers: business generation; dealer support/service; competitiveness of fees; and transmission of leads. An additional factor, advertising, is also included in the independent used-vehicle lead segment.

AutoTrader.com ranks highest in dealer satisfaction with online new-vehicle lead providers for a second consecutive year, performing particularly well in the business generation, dealer support/service and transmission of leads factors. Following AutoTrader.com in the segment rankings and performing above industry average are Cars.com, Dealix and AutoUSA, respectively.

In the used-vehicle lead segment, Cars.com achieves high ratings from dealers in the areas of business generation and transmission of leads. AutoTrader.com follows Cars.com in the used-vehicle-lead segment rankings and performs well in the areas of dealer support/service and advertising.

“The strong performance of AutoTrader.com for two consecutive years is founded on its most notable strengths — the quality of leads and the amount of contact with the dealership — both of which are especially important to dealers,” said Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates. “Cars.com has been steadily improving in the used-vehicle-lead segment rankings during the past two years, so it is not surprising that the service improves from its second-rank position in 2007 to earn the highest rank in 2008.”

The study finds that overall satisfaction in the used-vehicle lead segment has declined considerably in 2008, averaging 581 on a 1,000-point scale, compared with 613 in 2007. The decline is driven primarily by decreases in satisfaction within the business generation factor, specifically in the areas of the quality and quantity of leads.

The study also finds that the average number of online lead providers that dealers subscribe to has increased steadily in recent years — from 5.6 in 2006 to 6.8 in 2008. In addition, approximately one-half (53%) of dealers report subscribing to a lead notification program, which instantaneously alerts dealers to an incoming lead via cell phone voice or text messages. Dealers who subscribe to lead notification programs tend to have high levels of satisfaction with the services. Approximately two-thirds of subscribing dealers “completely agree” that lead notification programs work well and believe that they are worth participating in.

“As both new- and used-vehicle sales decline, it is now more important than ever for dealers to cast as wide a net as possible toward the limited supply of vehicle shoppers, which is one reason why dealers are increasing their use of online lead providers in the hopes of generating more traffic and sales for their dealerships,” said Osborn. “Also, dealers use vehicle lead notification systems to try to differentiate themselves from their competitors through faster lead response times. In this highly competitive industry, creating even a slight edge over other dealers is critical during a period of slow sales.”

The 2008 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services Study is based on 4,141 dealer evaluations of the online buying services they use. The study was fielded in April and May 2008.

Just a quick note to say THANKS to the current eight sponsors. Their contributions are helping pay for the new redesign that should be right around the corner. And a portion of all proceeds are going also being donated to the “Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation”. Be sure to pay the sponsors a visit to see what they have to offer.

Contact At Once – Live Chat for Car Dealers

Dealerpeak – Dealer websites, CRM and desking software

AutoMotion – Video Test Drives

CarFolks – Car Dealer Ship Ratings and Reviews

TKCarsites – Car Dealer Websites and SEO

BlackBook Online – Dealer Website Trade-in Appraisal tool

Dealer Rater – Car Dealer Reviews and Dealer Certification

Web2Cars – FREE used inventory listings

If you are interested in advertising on DealerRefresh, click here for more information.

On a side note, I am really sorry if there seems to have been a lack of posts from myself here lately. My only excuse is that I have been swamped. I promise to get back on the trail here. Thanks to Alex for picking up my slack (humm, I think I’ve said that one before).

Another side note, it was about 9 years ago when I was selling vdubs for Sharrett Volkswagen. Every VW I sold, I would take a photo of the new owner and their Volkswagen and would publish their photo on my “vwrep.com” website under a “drivers found” section. I also had vinyl stickers made with the vwrep.com URL and placed the sticker on the back corner winder of every Volkswagen I sold.

Today, I had paid a visit to the dealer to get an estimate on some bumper damage. As I was looking out the window, I saw a Jetta with one of those damn vwrep.com stickers STILL in the back corner window. Boy did that bring a smile to my face, so I took a photo of it. I sold that car over 8 years ago! I thought that was neat and worthy of a quick note.

This is something Seth Godin posted on his blog yesterday.  I thought it needed to be shared. 

Link to the original article.

Patience.

Google was a very good search engine for two years before you started using it.

The iPod was a dud.

I wrote Unleashing the Ideavirus 8 years ago. A few authors tried similar ideas but it didn’t work right away. So they gave up. Boingboing is one of the most popular blogs in the world because they never gave up.

The irony of the web is that the tactics work really quickly. You
friend someone on Facebook and two minutes later, they friend you back.
Bang.

But the strategy still takes forever. The strategy is the hard part, not the tactics.

I discovered a lucky secret the hard way about thirty years ago: you
can outlast the other guys if you try. If you stick at stuff that bores
them, it accrues. Drip, drip, drip you win.

It still takes ten years to become a success, web or no web. The
frustrating part is that you see your tactics fail right away. The good
news is that over time, you get the satisfaction of watching those
tactics succeed right away.

The trap: Show up at a new social network, invest two hours, be
really aggressive with people, make some noise and then leave in
disgust.

The trap: Use all your money to build a fancy website and leave no
money or patience for the hundred revisions you’ll need to do.

The trap: read the tech blogs and fall in love with the
bleeding-edge hip sites and lose focus on the long-term players that
deliver real value.

The trap: sprint all day and run out of energy before the marathon even starts.

The media wants overnight successes (so they have someone to tear
down). Ignore them. Ignore the early adopter critics that never have
enough to play with. Ignore your investors that want proven tactics and
predictable instant results. Listen instead to your real customers, to
your vision and make something for the long haul. Because that’s how
long it’s going to take, guys.