Autobase, Inc., the premier provider in automotive CRM for auto dealers nationwide, and a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, today announced Bill Leek, vice president of sales for Autobase, and Shaun Kniffin, Internet sales director for Germain Motor Company, will partner for a presentation during next month’s Digital Dealer Conference. Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) September 14, 2010

The collaborative presentation, “How to Develop an Effective Digital Strategy with your Current CRM Efforts for 2011 and Beyond,” will address the effective use of today’s technologies to create a practical, results-focused, digital marketing strategy. Particular attention will be given to the importance of using CRM data to fuel multi-channel marketing campaigns and the success of various campaign media when applied to specific customer touch points. The discussion will highlight both planning and execution, as well as review proven best practices developed through the success and failure of real-life, dealership marketing efforts.

The 9th Digital Dealer Conference will be held at The Mirage, Las Vegas, from October 12-14. “How to Develop an Effective Digital Strategy with your Current CRM Efforts for 2011 and Beyond” is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on October 13. Additionally, Kniffin will present “The High Touch Behind the High Tech – The Migration From Having an Internet Department to Becoming an Internet Group.” Both Leek and Kniffin will be in attendance for the entire conference.

Bill Leek is the vice president of sales for Autobase, and has over 22 years of experience in the automotive industry. He spent 14 of those years in the dealership retail setting in various sales and sales management roles. His extensive automotive industry knowledge, combined with a deep understanding of today’s current technologies, makes for a unique set of strengths in consulting on how auto dealers can maximize results.

Shaun Kniffin is the director of Internet sales and eBusiness development for the Columbus division of the Germain Motor Company. He has over 10 years of experience developing Internet business strategy. During the last five years with Germain Motor Company, Kniffin has helped increase Internet business by 40%.

About Autobase, Inc.
Autobase® has specialized in providing the automotive retail market with premier Marketing and Sales CRM Solutions since 1988. More experienced than any other CRM provider in the industry, Autobase offers a growing suite of cutting-edge marketing solutions and time-tested sales processes that drive and close significantly more business in the showroom and service drive. Nearly 40,000 auto professionals use Autobase every day to recession-proof their business by finding, selling, and retaining more customers. Autobase is a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions. For more information, visit www.autobase.net .

About Dominion Dealer Solutions
Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life. Dominion Dealer Solutions products include: lead generation through IFMG; customer relationship management tools through AVV, Autobase, and @utoRevenue; Web sites through Dealerskins and XIGroup; and specialized data aggregation, management, and reporting services through Dealer Specialties, Cross-Sell, The DataCube, and DataOne Software. These businesses serve more than 60 percent of auto dealers nationwide. Learn more at http://www.DominionDealerSolutions.com. Dominion Dealer Solutions is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services company serving the automotive, enthusiast and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, and employment industries. Please see http://www.DominionEnterprises.com.

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Award winners selected exclusively by dealers; awards presented at DrivingSales Executive Summit

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) September 9, 2010 – DrivingSales.com, the auto industry’s largest car dealer social network, today announced the first annual DrivingSales Innovation Cup Awards, which recognize the most innovative vendor solutions and dealership strategies for 2010. The winners will be determined exclusively by auto dealers, and awards will be presented at the DrivingSales Executive Summit presented with WardsAuto.com (DSES), scheduled for October 18th through October 20th 2010 at the Encore Wynn Las Vegas. Dealership Strategy Award contestants are eligible for $10,000 in prizes. Applications are now open and available at www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup.

“We believe that dealers know best when it comes to the most innovative strategies and vendor solutions, which is why we have developed this unique approach to recognizing the practices and technologies that will do the most to advance the profitability of dealerships,” said DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton. “This is not about the vendor with the most advertising dollars to promote a product, or the dealership who has the best PR. It is about the forward-thinking strategies and products that have the real world benefits to help dealerships thrive in the rebounding auto market.”

Innovation Cup: Most Innovative Dealership Strategy Award of 2010

The DrivingSales Innovation Cup for dealers is designed to uncover The Most Innovative Dealership Strategy of 2010. Forward-thinking dealership employees are encouraged to participate and submit a best practice that has proven to increase results. A panel of judges will select five finalists, who will then have the opportunity to present their strategies to dealer attendees at the DSES and compete for $10,000 in prizes. The finalist whose strategy receives the most votes from dealership attendees will win the DrivingSales award for the Most Innovative Dealership Strategy of 2010.

For more information about the Dealership Strategy Award and to submit an online application, go to www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup. There is no charge to apply. Only dealership employees are eligible.

Innovation Cup: Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010

The Innovation Cup Award for vendors is designed to uncover the Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010. The award recognizes solutions introduced in 2010 whose innovative approaches have produced significant results for dealership customers. Five finalists will be selected from the online applicants by a panel of dealer judges, and the finalists will earn the opportunity to compete onstage at the DrivingSales Executive Summit. A panel of dealer judges will score each solution, and the highest scorer will win the Innovation Cup for Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010.

For more information about the Innovation Cup Awards and to submit an application, go to www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup. There is no charge to apply. Application deadline for all Innovation Cup Awards is midnight PST, September 24th, 2010.

DrivingSales Executive Summit 2010 presented with WardsAuto.com

A uniquely collaborative event modeled after the best practices and information-sharing among dealers and auto industry professionals on DrivingSales.com, the DrivingSales Executive Summit (#DSES) brings together the most successful and innovative dealers in the country, along with world-renowned speakers, all focused on dealership innovations and profitability. All dealership vendors and dealership employees can apply for the awards, which will be voted on and presented for the first time at the 2010 DSES.

Unlike other automotive industry events, the DrivingSales Executive Summit is 100% dealer driven and designed specifically for the most progressive dealer principals and dealership executives in the industry. For more information, visit DrivingSalesExecutiveSummit.com or contact dses(at)drivingsales(dot)com. Follow conference news as it develops on www.twitter.com/drivingsales.

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110 Percent Increase in Customer Base Indicates Auto Dealers’ Return to Diversified Lead Mix

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – September 7, 2010 – AutoUSA, the industry’s best source of online customers and the highest quality Internet leads to auto dealers nationwide, today announced a drastic increase in dealer participation in its online lead generation programs and services. In the period from June, 2009 through June, 2010, AutoUSA experienced a 110 percent growth rate in the number of dealers participating in used vehicle lead generation services, along with a 14 percent increase in dealers taking part in the Edmunds.com Premier Dealer Program (PDP).

“In recent years many dealers have experimented with online marketing strategies such as SEO or SEM in order to attract consumers to their own web sites, but in 2010 we have seen a return to a diversification strategy,” said Phil DuPree, President of AutoUSA. “More dealers have realized that adding an independent lead provider to the mix is a cost effective way to increase their marketing exposure while generating a high volume of quality leads.”

Another significant finding is that 72 percent of AutoUSA’s dealer customers take advantage of more than one program or service offered. In the past year, AutoUSA has launched or expanded several programs to help dealers increase inventory exposure on the web and to generate both new and used vehicle leads. Dealers who partner with AutoUSA to post their new vehicle inventory listings routinely enjoy exposure on more than 100 of the top automotive web sites.

More dealers have realized that adding an independent lead provider to the mix is a cost effective way to increase their marketing exposure while generating a high volume of quality leads.

AutoUSA programs include:

• Edmunds Premier Dealer Program (PDP): Dealers who participate in the PDP program are presented in more than 100 targeted “lower funnel” ad units that generate a significant volume of consumers calls and clicks directly to that dealer’s web site. PDP dealers are also guaranteed top placement in their exclusive territory in Edmunds’ popular Dealer Locator, along with high-conversion VIN-based leads.

• Kelley Blue Book LeadDriver™: This program seamlessly integrates with Kelley Blue Book Trade-In Values on the dealer’s web site while simultaneously capturing lead information. In addition to the car buyer’s contact information, LeadDriver provides details on the trade-in vehicle and its value, as well as the buyer’s vehicle of interest. According to research by Kelley Blue Book, 73 percent of in-market vehicle shoppers are more likely to purchase a vehicle from dealerships that display Kelley Blue Book Values on their web site.

• POWER Listings™: Powered by Cargigi (craigslist listing tool for car dealers), this AutoUSA program allows dealers to market and advertise their used-car inventory on the most popular free classified websites, resulting in targeted, high quality phone and Internet leads. A Live Market Monitor allows dealers to track the interest each vehicle is generating in real time and just-in-time ad placement technology ensures listings are posted during peak customer traffic times.

• Used Car Inventory Pay-Per-Lead: This used car program enables dealers to post their used vehicle inventory at top automotive sites such as kbb.com, Vehix, AOL Autos, CarPerks.com, Overstock.com, AutoMedia.com, CarDomain.com and AutoUSA’s used car Web site, AutoUSAused.com. Where allowed by law, the program offers a pay-per-lead pricing plan, which is a cost-effective alternative to high monthly subscription rates offered by some other companies. AutoUSA’s phone lead service allows consumers to immediately contact dealers by phone when viewing a classified vehicle listing. Unique phone numbers are provided for each dealership, and dealers are only charged for the call if the consumer hasn’t phoned the dealership within the last 30 days and if the call is longer than 65 seconds.

• New Vehicle Lead Program featuring Carperks Mobile: AutoUSA’s innovative new vehicle lead program gives dealers exposure on over 100 of the top automotive sites and exclusive access to the industry’s most cutting-edge applications. AutoUSA’s mobile leads program uses an iPhone/iPod Touch application, developed by Carperks, to generate new- and used-vehicle leads. The Carperks car buying discount iPhone app allows mobile car shoppers to access, search and view car inventory from dealer participants in AutoUSA’s Carperks program. It highlights those dealers within the shopper’s local market area that are available to provide price quotes and allows customers to immediately generate digitally formatted discount certificates valued at $100 for the new vehicle of their choice, where allowed by law.

All Internet leads generated from AutoUSA are scrubbed and validated before delivery to dealership customers.

About AutoUSA
AutoUSA, Inc., is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a subsidiary of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), the largest retail automotive company in the United States. AutoUSA is an independent provider of leads and services to thousands of dealerships. The company has built its success on a combination of advanced web-based technology and a network that includes the country’s most well respected online automotive resources, including Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, MSN Autos, Yahoo! Autos, America Online, NADA Analytical Services Group, AutoVantage.com, AutoNation.com and AutoUSA.com. The vast majority of Ward’s Top 100 eDealers use AutoUSA. More information is available online at http://www.AutoUSAdealers.com

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SELIG TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHES INDUSTRY’S FASTEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE REAL-TIME VEHICLE APPRAISAL DEVICE

CHARLESTON, S.C., (August 10, 2010) – Selig Technologies, LLC, is proud to debut its revolutionary vehicle appraisal devices that is unlike anything previously used by car dealers, independent vehicle brokers and auction houses. VIN Viper is a mobile device with a built- in VIN scanner that instantly returns live, real-time data from proprietary sources such as

Black Book®, AuctionNet®, NADA Guides®, Kelley Blue Book®, GALVES Auto Price List®, CARFAX® and AutoCheck®. Quite simply, VIN Viper literally puts the power of appraising vehicles in the palm of your hand.

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The Autotrader and vAuto deal was just a rumor a little while ago, but now it is official.  Autotrader.com has purchased vAuto.  Congratulations to Dale Pollak! 

So what’s next Chip???……

And congrats to you Mr. Perry.  This was a very nice purchase.

Dealers:  expect to hear more about what this acquisition means soon.  Of course, we are curious to hear what you think now.

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