In this giant shift into the digital space, a great deal of time and focus is being spent on customers that are already in the market. Take a moment and think about the customers you may have left behind in a rush to the internet, the ones that are not in the market, and the ones you can bring into the market with the right message. They may be your best customers.

We all struggle sometimes. That is the reality. We struggle at work, we struggle in relationships, we struggle in business and sometimes we just struggle with life. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either full of crap or a psychopath. But what is the solution? The way out? The way up?

Why are conversions so low on third party leads? The answer is quite simple. Third party lead gen companies are focused only on converting traffic to leads while the dealer is focused on converting leads to deals. There is a total disconnect. Not only that, but lead generation companies control all the messaging, and source of the lead. They know the messaging and sources that generate good leads, and the ones that generate the bad, and they make sure you get just enough good ones to give you some conversions, but also a whole bunch of bad ones so they can make a profit. That is the reality.

Perhaps you're new to marketing in a car dealership, or maybe you're an old hack. Either way, occasionally the most obvious and important element in any ad gets forgotten or simply omitted: the emotion.

Here's a newsflash. A quality website is the most important piece of your digital presence. ALL of your conversions are a factor in your website quality. It is your digital store. Making sure that your website works well, is easy to navigate, and includes all the relevant products and messaging for your business is the most basic starting point. You can pay a fortune for a fancy site but if the messaging is off, or your prospects get lost in all that fanciness, what’s the point?

"You must have integrity" they say… and they’re right! "They" just don’t really know what it means. When most people talk about integrity, it’s in the "holier than thou" sense. What they really mean is, you should be a good person. Be honest. Maybe even a good leader. And maybe you should, but none of those have anything to do with true integrity, at least the kind I’m talking about. Integrity is about strength. Internal strength. To be strong, you need integrity and believe it or not, it has nothing to do with good or bad. It’s just about knowing who you are and living that way.

Over the last few decades the marketing landscape for dealerships has dramatically changed. T.V., radio, and print all gradually eroding in market share and being overtaken by the internet of all things. Large online retailers like Carvana are taking over that digital space with huge budgets and expertise; new car manufacturers are taking greater control over the marketing funnel; and aggregates like Autotrader are holding dealer inventories hostage to promote their own platform and interests. The small to midsize car dealership is left with very few options to control their own destiny- especially the ones seeking to operate a profitable used car department or dealership.

Occasionally, throughout your life, you will learn lessons that completely change the trajectory of your life in a positive way. It’s happened to me a few times over the years but perhaps none more than one day on the Inca Trail in Peru when I learned the hard way, how to reach your goals.

The problem? Figuring out a way to successfully integrate non-prime into a traditional sales process. You don’t want to just hire a lone gun that will create liability faster than revenue and you don’t really want sales staff talking about credit. It’s a problem. 

If you are a typical independent new or used car dealer, there are really very few options to access marketing that will allow you to predictably manage and grow your business. On the new vehicle side, much of the marketing is created and implemented by the manufacturer. Sales volume planning is often a factor of market share more than dealer driven advertising. 

In the new era of digital marketing, it’s pretty easy to get lost in the seemingly never-ending stream of digital marketing solutions for your business. Where do you begin? 

With so many choices available now, from free, to low-cost, to top-of-the-line, where do you start when choosing the most appropriate tools for your business? Here's a streamlined approach to help you make informed decisions:

Over the last few decades the marketing landscape for dealerships has dramatically changed. T.V., radio, and print all gradually eroding in market share and being overtaken by the internet of all things. Large online retailers like Carvana are taking over that digital space with huge budgets and expertise; new car manufacturers are taking greater control over the marketing funnel; and aggregates like Autotrader are holding dealer inventories hostage to promote their own platform and interests. The small to midsize car dealership is left with very few options to control their own destiny- especially the ones seeking to operate a profitable used car department or dealership.

In the realm of sales, significant effort is dedicated to generating leads that hold the potential for conversion into valuable customers. Ideally, each lead would present a realistic opportunity for conversion, but as Sales constantly inform Marketing, sometimes the leads just aren't up to that much, waste time, and become ignored.

Follow these steps to align digital marketing with business goals: define SMART objectives, track KPIs, choose channels, create content, implement & improve.

By deploying chatbots on your website, you can engage customers in real-time, providing instant responses and guiding them through the purchase journey with human-like conversations.

Businesses that fail to prioritize search engine optimization risk missing out on valuable leads and customers, while their competitors capitalize on online opportunities. Here are some simple yet effective tips to ensure search engine success:

While the future remains uncertain, these trends, affecting both day-to-day operations and long-term strategies, should always be at the forefront of your small business agenda.