By now, you’ve heard that you need to claim your Google Places listing and it’s easy to see why. Google Places is one of the easiest and cheapest (i.e. FREE) ways to promote your dealership online and help your website’s SEO.

Here are 10 things everyone should know about Google Places and how you can set your store apart from the competition.

1. Be consistent with your listing across the board. If your website lists your address as “Avenue,” don’t list your address on Google Places as “Ave.” Google doesn’t understand it’s an abbreviation.

2. List your local number. As tempting as it may be to post a toll free number so you can gauge the effectiveness of your listing, you should always use your local number.

3. Add Photos. Google lets you add 10 photos. The first photo should be your logo. The rest of the photos should be of your dealership, showroom and customer lounge. Be sure to include specials, promotions and incentives as well and change them monthly.

4. Add Video. After you post your commercial on your YouTube channel, copy the link to your Google Places account. It’s one more place potential customers can learn more about your dealership.

5. Include Service and Sales Hours. Google Places lets you add two sets of hours. Take advantage of this feature by posting your Service and Sales hours of operation.

6. Create Offers. We know that your “Specials” pages are among the most visited on your website. Create service and sales offers within your listing and update them monthly.

7. List your Social Media links. Under “Additional Details” Google lets you list other details about your business. This is a great place to promote your social media URLs.

READ the remaining tips by Kate Frost, consultant with Kain Automotive. Kate can be reached at kate@kainautomotive.com or by calling 407-760-8072

Ford Expects Fusion to Grab Profits, Not Camry Sales Crown

Ford CEO Alan Mulally suggests he would like to see Ford’s stylish new Fusion sedan sell more units than Toyota’s Camry, although that will be a tough nut to crack. Ford’s Taurus sedan was the top-selling car in the U.S. from 1992 to 1996, and Mulally would like to place that kind of crown on the Fusion. More Fusions will be built with that goal in mind.

Device Shuts Down Cellphones While Driving

There is a new device called “Scosche” coming down the tube that will automatically shut off the driver’s cell phone if the driver is behind the wheel of the car – taking all the guesswork out of dodging parents and police for teens while driving. Manufacturer claims digital device prevents texting, emailing, the use of phone camera and other apps in the hands of the driver.

January TrueTrends: Shortest and Longest Days in Vehicle Inventory

TreuCar.com publishes January list of inventory trends among automaker brands, ranking the shortest and longest inventory stay before they sell for 2011 and 2012 vehicles.  On average, Large SUVs (86 days) and large cars and trucks stay on dealer lots longer, while subcompact cars (26 days) sell much faster. First 2012s off the lot indicate the Cadillac CTS Wagon and Hyundai Equus are hot!

Nothing succeeds like success, as they say.  And Ralph Mahalak, Sr. is very pleased with the success he has enjoyed at his Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Superstore in Monroe, Michigan over the years. In 1991 Ralph Mahalak Sr. made the decision to retire and pass the family business, the Monroe Superstore, to his two sons, Ralph Jr. and JP Mahalak.

In 2005, Monroe Dodge enrolled in OneCommand’s multi-channel marketing suite of solutions enabling a comfortable, supportive atmosphere and more personalized interaction with their customers.

In 2010, OneCommand formed a partnership with Chrysler Digital that allows Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealers to take advantage of exclusive DMS Marketing programs and reduced pricing.  Read the full article...

Specifically, how does that work?  Says Mahalak:“Our personalized emails are well received, even passed around and shared. We collect more than 150 email addresses a month as their preferred method of communication. The email tool is not only a reflection of my staff and I, but it greatly enhances our promotions. Not a day goes by that I don’t receive an email reply from a satisfied customer. Thanks to DMS Marketing, we’re able to quickly and easily deliver customized messages that continue to bring customers in.”

Ralph Mahalak, Jr. Co-owner and Sales Director of the Monroe Superstore, can be reached at 888.768.3011.  Check out the OneCommand website to see what a great DMS Marketing program can do for you!

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William P. Underriner, 2012 chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, will address the NADA-ATD Convention on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012 at 9 a.m. in the Las Vegas Convention Ctr., Exhibit Hall N-1
 
Underriner, 59, president and co-owner of Underriner Motors, Billings, MT., operates Honda, Hyundai, Buick and Volvo franchises, has served 3 terms as NADA treasurer and represents Montana’s new-car dealers on their board of directors. Underriner is a past member of the association’s Executive, Industry Relations, Dealership Operations and Membership committees. He’s also served as chairman of NADA’s Finance and Convention committees.

“I’m honored that my peers have elected me for this position,” said Underriner. “I look forward to the challenges ahead, and the unknown. You never know what can happen in the auto industry.”

The NADA
   Story...

...began in 1917. Today, NADA represents nearly 16,000 new-car-and-truck dealerships with 32,500 franchises.

    • Representing all dealers on Capitol Hill, federal agencies, media and general public
    • Providing education and guidance on regulatory matters
    • Representing dealers interests with auto & truck manufacturers
    • Developing research data on the retail automobile industry
    • Offers employee benefit plans through its retirement services group, NADART
    • Offering extensive training programs to improve dealership business ops, sales and service practices via NADA University.

Self-driven, robotically controlled cars are coming soon to your driveway. Wired magazine dug into a few of the new technology trends that are part of what it labeled the “ultimate self-driving machine.” Some of it has already been put into place by Mercedes-Benz. Google is also pushing the edge of the envelope by developing a fleet of self-driving cars that have put a lot of miles on California roads for testing.

Mercedes’ Distronic Plus accident-prevention system includes units on the rear bumper that can trigger an alert when something is in the car’s blind spot. Mercedes also makes Night View assist that uses two headlamps to beam invisible, non-reflective infrared light onto the road ahead, bringing illuminated images to the dashboard display. Mercedes’ prototype Stereo Vision system uses two windshield-mounted cameras to build a real-time 3-D image of the road ahead, spotting potential hazards like pedestrians and predicting where they are headed.

Google uses Velodyne’s rooftop Light Detection and Ranging system that generates a point cloud and gives the car a 360-degree view. Google also applies a positioning system from Applanix, and its own mapping and GPS tech. For safety, wheel encoders provide wheel-mounted sensors that measure the velocity of the Google car is it maneuvers through traffic.