Comments on: A few “things” to take home.

By: Ryan Gerardi

Ryan Gerardi — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:47:38 +0000

Looks like Dealerskins is joining the game of free seminars now to:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/7/prweb536968.htm

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:02:12 +0000

I would like to comment on:
“be sure to buy your URL as a keyword. I guess this was note worthy, though about 99.9% of the time if someone types your URL into Google or Yahoo, your website better dam site be #1 in the natural listings.”
Jeff, I see your point and you are correct your URL should be #1 in the natural listings but a good number of users if not majority simply do not make a distinction between “natural” or organic and paid listings.
Organic listings do not start on Google until position 4 in most cases and Yahoo it is the 5th position.
We don’t directly bid on other site’s URLs but when the URL is a combination of keywords that we do bid on our ad will show at the top and we get a surprising number of clicks and leads this way.

I can pull some actual statistics but trust me compared to loosing a customer to your competitor the 5 or 10 cents Google will charge you per click to place an ad for your own URL is well worth the price.

Alex

By: Jennifer Schrader

Jennifer Schrader — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:44:41 +0000

I had attended the Breakfast for Champs in Detroit 1 month ago and yes of course ” Hugh” was there and we were all wound up on the STAR BUCKS. Yes Hugh was awesome. It was very nice to see the facts / statistics to help us with where our sales had mainly went to ” USED”. Relying on your templates too much can scare a customer away in a hear beat! I modify mine and answer all of the prospects questions. I have done very well with quoting prices on the first email I send to them. What they inquire on along with the other trim levels and throw in a used one similar if not the same.

It was very nice to actually look at the percentages that were given during the seminar:
Take a customer and treat them like a Gamble~
Your chances of closing a:
Walk in – 9-10%
Phone up – 50%
Repeat / Referral – 60-70%
Internet – 90%

Seeing those percentages I would be all over the Internet ( That is right I all ready am) and I do well at it.

Thank you Jeff for posting this ~

By: Kevin Frye

Kevin Frye — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:48:14 +0000

Nice points Jeff, thanks for sharing them. I think your closing might be the best advice for each of us – take advantage of all of these opportunities for free training/seminars and networking events. I do my best to sign up for any of these types of events in my area, and it allows me to not only learn new things in the eCommerce arena, but also to keep on top of my local market. Cheers – Kevin Frye/eCommerce Director/Jeff Wyler Automotive Family

By: Lao Shi

Lao Shi — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:32:00 +0000

Of course, the only honest way to appraise and evaluate the vehicle is for the customer to bring the vehicle in.

By: Ty Alvarez

Ty Alvarez — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:20:22 +0000

Is it easier to begin the dialogue and relationship on the customer’s present car? Do you find it easier to set appointments on a customer’s trade?

By: Lao Shi

Lao Shi — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:49:43 +0000

I agree that these seminars are a great forum for networking and also allows one to gain insight.

You hit a great point on the pre-owned concept; a wise mentor told me years ago always give the consumer an option. This applies to all sales. This way if the new is not in their comfort zone price wise there is an option. If nothing else you will begin a dialogue, which is the initial goal in the relationship.

This also is in the same mode of “Word Tracking”

I have found the bulk of third party leads are duplicates of leads that originally come in from the OEM. I always get the 3rd party lead providers to agree that we do not pay for “DUPES” which includes OEM leads. At the end of each month we audit the leads and submit the “DUPES” for credit, at $15.00 -20.00 per lead this can add up. One can find they are paying 2-3 times for the same lead, which means thousands of dollars over the year. One of the great things about technology as you can “TRACK” information easier.

More and more I find people will set up and email when they are on a research project and then jettison this after the project. I have found this to be true as when I do newsletters during the year to keep my database up to date, the email bounces back and I call them. Most will say that they did not want to receive junk mail, which happened to them before. We can thank the BZ Results and others that spam the daylights out of the customers with things they never asked for.

This is a major issue with http://www.onstation.com as well as they both of these companies provide process that load up the client with unwanted information in a cold, “cookie cutter template” fashion that leaves the client unimpressed.

The funny thing is some of these companies are charging $5,000.00 plus a month. If people ever broke down the costs of the components of these programs they would see they are making huge profits. Selling a tool that has a cost of $500 for 5K a month times however many dealers they have is a huge number.

You are correct Jeff, the personalization of the process is the key to success and the customer looking for this type of experience will go to the sites that will provide this. The dealer that is a volume dealer only interested in “moving metal” in a volume model will be happy with these “cookie cutter” options, and they will continue to complain about the low margins of the business.

Another example is providing price when a client asks for a price. Explain that this is the price of this model and that there maybe rebates and incentives that may also apply, please, lets schedule an appointment to go over the options that are available to you. This is a great process to develop the relationship and setting the appointment. Again, this only works for dealers that embrace the personalized approach rather then the “Cookie Cutter” approach. I refer to these dealers as “Boutique Dealers” and there are many examples of them.

Also the profit margins are better.