How to Start the New Month

Every month it’s the same old thing- scratch, claw and scramble to hit the numbers; rush around like maniacs trying to complete dealer trades, send drivers to customer’s homes to get contracts signed, and burn out the F&I managers with an over-promised delivery schedule. Here are some strategies to get your new month off to a smoother start:

• Start the new month sooner by closing the old one! Don’t steal future business to put into the prior month- it will all wash out if you close the month properly on a consistent basis.

• Bury the bad ( results, deals, attitudes) quickly. MOVE ON! Learn from lost deals and other mistakes, but do not dwell on that which smells!

• Get the closed month’s stats STAT! Managers and salespeople need this information quickly to set new goals.

• Have tracking in place (daily ups, demo rides, presentations, etc) Can’t improve what we can’t measure.

• Salespeople must have a daily work goal, (ups, follow-up, mailers, presentations, etc) not just a unit goal for the month. The new month starts at day one- not the following week. Daily goals mean just that.

• Each salesperson should analyze their best success deal from the prior month. The feelings of satisfaction or accomplishment from a good sale can be used to “jump start” a salesperson’s attitude and enthusiasm for facing the new month.

• Managers could put on a spiff for first fresh deal written or delivered, along with other “fast start” bonuses such as for the highest total of deals or deliveries at end of first week.

Will Parquette is the Training Director for Gates Automotive Group and can be reached at 1-860-228-2886 or wparquette@columbiaford.com.

GM to Sell Chevy Volt for $41,000; Lease Terms Close to Leaf’s
GM announces it will sell the Chevy Volt for $41,000 and lease it for $350 per month with $2,500 down. The Nissan Leaf will sell for  $32,780 and lease for $349 per month with $1,999 down. The competition between them will be stiff.
Bloomberg.com, July 27, 2010

Toyota Delays Prius Production in US
Toyota pushes back plans to build the Prius hybrid at its Mississippi plant by six years, due primarily to hard economic times that has slowed sales. Prius will be produced in the U.S. when it is remodeled. Instead, Toyota will build the Corolla at MS plant.
Economic Times, July 27, 2010

CTS Projected Resale Value Rises With Launch of 2011 Coupe
July/August estimates from ALG indicate that resale value for the Cadillac CTS will rise as the brand adds the 2011 CTS Coupe to its lineup. Coupe arrived this month at dealers and already projected to have a resale value of 59 percent of its initial price.
PRnewswire.com, July 28, 2010

Marketing Plans Shift as Women are Firmly Ensconced in the Driver's Seat
With more and more women tackling aftermarket-oriented tasks that had previously been the nearly exclusive domain of men, suppliers, retailers and repairers are increasingly gearing their sales efforts toward female motorists.

G.M. Joint Venture Introduces New Brand to China
General Motors may be struggling to make a comeback in North America, but in China the automaker and its joint venture partners are setting records. GM will launch a new brand to be called Baojun or "treasured horse."

KBB: More Consumers Turn to Used Units, Plan to Pay with Cash
Research from Kelley Blue Book shows more consumers are opting for used vehicles and paying cash. Basically, shoppers are looking at spending smaller amounts of money, and they may not be influenced by incentives.

Experian Automotive Offers VIO Info for Dealers

Consumers are keeping small vehicles, but still desire luxury, recently released Experian data shows. Although the mix of vehicles on U.S. roads is moving more toward small to midsize vehicles,, according to Experian Automotive’s just-released analysis of its AutoCount Vehicles in Operation (VIO) data as of March 31, 2010, consumers still want 
premium/luxury amenities in those vehicles. Learn more by visiting www.experianautomotive.com.

Infomedia and Toyota USA sign Superservice Menus Agreement

Infomedia, leading supplier of electronic parts catalogues for the automotive industry, announces a 3-year agreement, on a non-exclusive basis, with Toyota Motor Sales USA to market its service quoting and selling system, Superservice Menus™ to the TMS dealership network. Infomedia's electronic parts selling systems have become the global standard for the automotive industry, used by more than 50,000 users in over 160 countries. For more information visit infomedia.com.au.

AutoTrader Partners with Executive Auto Group

As part of AutoTrader's Trade-In Marketplace program, Connecticut-based Executive Auto Group now offers its cstomers a predetermined guaranteed value offer on a trade-in that can then be applied to the purchase of a new or used vehicle at one of their Mazda, Honda, Jeep or Nissan dealerships. Accessible on any computer, offer is based on real data and customer receives a printed voucher with the guarantee. For more info visit www.autotrader.com.

Why Your Social Media Strategy is "Failing"
How are you measuring its success?
By Jared Hamilton

The social web is amazing. It mirrors the real world on the computer screen. Think of how you would act at a social event, representing your dealership, and act that way online. Hint: Fixed Operations is your greatest opportunity to engage customers in the social web. Here are a couple of pointers.

1. Dealers are not leveraging their social assets properly.
The genesis of social media is user generated content, so naturally to be involved means that you need to join the communities where your customers are, or create your own destinations, and share quality content. Your dealership MUST learn to create content that customers want and need. Your success in social media is directly proportionate to your ability to create good content. If people aren't engaging you on social media sites, its because your content doesn't cut it.
 
2. Dealers are looking for ROI in the wrong places.
Most dealers do not see social media ROI because they don’t know where to look. Often, dealers simply look at leads generated directly from Facebook or Twitter, after all, that is how you judge your website and other marketing. Lead Generation is not the primary benefit of social media, and so you must look elsewhere if you want to make your efforts pay off on paper quickly.
 
Rather than looking at social media ONLY as a direct lead generator, look at its traffic value to your other properties.
•  Use tracking URLs and analytics to see which how much traffic you are generating from your social activities. This will also help you learn which content resonates well with your audience.  
•  Let your website be the lead generating machine.
•  Use the social web to stay in touch with customers and move them down the funnel.
•  Use social media sites to help you dominate the search engines by getting your profiles, blogs and ratings to rank well.
•  Use advanced SEO tools to track the value of the links you use in social media back to your sites. Links on the web are like votes, and when used properly, they can help “vote” your website to the top of the search rankings.  
•  Use social media to connect with and create loyal customers. Educate them on how to get the most out of their vehicles or connect with enthusiasts. Make your dealership a hub for their experience with their car.

Jared Hamilton is CEO and Founder of DrivingSales.com. Click here to read this article in its entirety.

Toyota has recently issued a revised position on the repair of high-strength steel and ultr-high-strength steel cabin reinforcements and, as a result, I-CAR is offering a new class entitled "Collision Repair of Toyota, Lexus and Scion Vehicles" (TOY01) starting in July. In a recent interview with I-CAR, James Meyer, Senior Technical Training Administrator for Toyota Motor Sales stated Toyota’s position on limited repair of occupant cabin reinforcements and indicating that any of these parts that are HSS or stronger cannot be repaired. Click here to read more. Then click on the image for more information on how to sign up for this important class.

OnStar Expands Mobile App Technology Availability
Soon to be available for 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles

Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC are developing brand-specific mobile apps that will leverage OnStar technology to allow vehicle owners to activate all of the functions available on a traditional vehicle key fob – remote start, horn and lights and door lock/unlock - from their smartphones. Drivers will no longer have to be within a requisite distance, or even have their keys with them, to control these functions on their vehicles. Other important info will also be available via one-touch dialing to trained advisors on a 24/7 basis. READ MORE...

"Giving our customers control of their vehicles with smart phone application technology is a key advantage of OnStar's in-vehicle connectivity," said Chris Preuss, OnStar president. "This technology empowers drivers to make decisions about their travels well before they enter the vehicle, meaning their full attention can stay where it needs to be – on the road ahead."

Not to be outdone, Chrysler is also adding smartphone app capability FREE on its 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and will phase the app into its Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat and Ram truck vehicles by year end.

Government Stimulus Program Aids in EV Infrastructure

Robbie Diamond, president of the Electrification Coalition (EC), says the government is on the right track by using stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to promote electric vehicles, components and infrastructure, but more can and must be done. The White House report outlines what is being done thus far. According to Diamond, the numbers put out by the government indicate we're on the right track, but we can't stop here. Building and selling EVs is only part of the answer. More responsible legislation on both sides of the aisle in Congress are needed. You'll want to read more!