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Why Women In Auto Rock – A Case Study

“We need more women in the auto industry!”

We hear it said all the time. Well, it’s time to stop wishing. We’re taking things to the next level by showcasing one of the brilliant women car dealers we know and highlighting her success, in hopes of attracting more women to the industry.

First, though, let’s look at the facts and amp up the need…

Women In Automotive

Fortunately, some dealerships are starting to take notice of these numbers and are doing something about them. They’re not just offering positions to women; they’re changing the dealership culture to make those positions more attractive.

Jennifer Moran Carter Motors Group

Enter Jennifer Moran, Executive Manager of Carter Motors Group. When she opened a new dealership in Ballard, Washington during the height of the recession in 2009, Jennifer never dreamed that Carter Motors Group would go on to become #1 for new car sales in the state in just a few short years. How did she do it? Three words: Why Buy Messaging.

Why Buy Messaging (or WBM for our purposes) is based on a simple but rather revolutionary idea first offered by Simon Sinek – people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

Applied to the automotive industry, WBM means using your core values to stand out in an industry where everyone is selling the same thing, often the same way, at roughly the same price. It’s about building a successful business not based on finding people who need what you have, but rather finding those who believe what you believe. WBM is a radical departure from traditional price advertising, but it is light years more effective. Check out the results of Carter Motors Group’s winning strategy:

Thanks to Carter’s On the Road to Carbon Neutral campaign, which planted four trees for every car sale to offset the carbon footprint of the vehicle, Carter Motors Group went on to become the #1 dealer group for new car sales in the state of Washington in 2012, across all brands. Their Volkswagen store is in the top ten in the country for market penetration, and the two Subaru stores combined make Carter the second best-selling Subaru dealer in the nation.

Their digital results are equally impressive. A Cobalt website and PowerSEO client, Carter Volkswagen has increased monthly web traffic by 1,000 visitors year over year, and also ranks #1 in paid and organic search for top keywords.

Carter Motors Increases Leads Visits

Jennifer’s “why buy” approach works for three reasons:

  • It resonates with the eco-conscious Seattle community
  • It aligns with the OEM brand equity while still achieving its own creative twist
  • It inspires car-shopper loyalty by keeping Carter present throughout the entire shopping journey with powerful multichannel marketing

Jennifer Moran is a true thought leader and a successful business person. She also happens to be a killer speaker. Join us for her upcoming webinar…

Webinar Automotive Marketing Carter Motors Group Cobalt

Thursday, July 11th | 8:30am PST / 11:30am EST

Hear the rest of Jennifer’s inspiring story and learn a three-step formula for building a winning “why buy” message in your dealership.

Register Today

 

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Jon Quade is a highly recognized trainer in the industry, given his 8000+ hours on camera & years of seminar experience with OEM clients like Fo...
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    D Rawls
  • July 5, 2013
Diversity has been proven very elusive for Auto Retail Past.  Hopefully Jen Moran helps open up the conversation about how fresh ideas and innovations are making the industry better.  And, may her success be a beacon for all involved in automotive retail to make a genuine effort to be a more inclusive community.
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    quadequick
  • July 8, 2013
D Rawls, thanks for the comment. A basic marketing tenant is that your staff should approximately reflect your desired consumer base. Until we see some parity in the numbers we quoted above, dealerships will likely under-perform in gross, volume or both, which is the ultimate argument for any business to adopt inclusive staffing.
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