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IM@CS Featured on BlogTalkRadio’s Lunch With Phil

This morning I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Philip Zelinger of AdAgencyOnline.net via his 'Lunch With Phil' show on BlogTalkRadio. With the impending NADA show in New Orleans and the issues, as well as opportunities, faced by dealers today, the timing was right to broadcast IM@CS' services to a wider audience. The opportunity to be featured today is greatly appreciated!

Whether it's being part of Auto Industry Insights kicking off this weekend, helping dealer and OEMs clients with their entire online presence and process or advising portals and third party solution providers, it is the time to do more and empower the industry to tackle what it's presently facing. Everything this blog shares is intended to not just tell you 'what to do', but to promote ideas, promote best practices, engage you in a dialog and challenge the market in the shift from 'comfortable and commonplace' to 'proactive and profitable'.

Follow the link  or click the logo to listen in on today's interview. Thank you for being part of what's next! http://tinyurl.com/78vpe3

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Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

It All Comes Down To Counts And Figures

When you live for sales, one thing usually starts and ends the conversation: money. How you get there is important along with a number of other factors like goals and bonuses, perks, recognition and more. We surround ourselves with facts, data and figures: units, conversion, month-over-month, even comparing ourselves to in-brand, in-market competition.

What is it that drives the best? What is it that ultimately separates us from the stars and accolades? Why do some salespeople always seem to be 'lucky'? Most of the time it comes down to counts and figures, but not the ones you are thinking about, including ones already mentioned here. For the leaders, it comes down to counting on yourself and figuring out how to improve or stay ahead of the game.

Without learning, self-improvement and flat-out challenging yourself, the units or dollars becomes the only factor, which is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you count on customers just walking in the door more than you count on hitting your calls and emails to drive traffic, you might just count on a big goose egg.

Figuring on things just happening versus figuring on ways to better connect with customers, methods to keep better track of your prospects and ways to drive your business up may have you figuring on polishing your resume.

Doing what it takes to make every day great rather than taking each day as it comes is the path to a successful future. Those who count on themselves to be creative and agile will win. And the ones that figure out how to take each opportunity for everything it's worth will lead.

Figure out how and count on yourself to…

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Taking The Fear Out Of Online…One _______ At A Time

Even though you've already heard it: If you want to succeed in business today, it has to take place online. For us in the auto industry, that's truly more the case than not. But the fact is it's not harder than it looks or sounds if you have the right assistance.

Maybe it used to be much easier, in some sense, years ago when you'd place an ad insertion, sit down on Saturday, Sunday or whatever day of the week your ad would display, grab your coffee, flip the right page open and smile. "There's my ad" and "oh, so much better than their ad!" (looking at a competitors ad). You could touch it, feel it, see it and gloat over it. Somewhere before the newspapers started failing rapidly, you were paying A LOT for advertising there and in other media that is not capturing an effective audience today…in the least.

Now here comes the Internet, offering the ability to reduce budgets by 30, 50, 60 and even 75% percent and get a more effective (yes, more effective) reach and ROI, let alone transparency and accountability. You can hear the dealers backing away from their monitors right now. How (and why) can you have faith in something with no true ability to be tracked, where circulation and impression rates mean practically nothing, then look at the web and say it's not for you?

We are not talking about the "I don't get it" excuse. Let that flimsy fallacy go the way of the Dodo Bird. This is the simple message: In most markets $2,000-$4,000 monthly of well-placed spend after 60-90 days will replace what $15,000-$25,000 plus used to drive. Absorb that…call your website or SEO/SEM company and start, today. And stay in it for at least 90 days before you make any judgment. This is not a 'run and gun ad' world. This is a 'stick with it' world.

So it doesn't matter if it's one ad, one car, one store, one promo, one incentive, one anything. The only way to take fear out of something is to do it. Stop making excuses: you're astute, successful, experienced and capitalistic, even though somewhere along the line fear replaced confidence and the Internet replaced the 'Sunday Times'. Oh, you might even end up building a brand…imagine that!

And by the way, if your website company can't handle it and/or you don't have an SEO specilist, head to NADA in a couple weeks and to Digital Dealer in April and get one (see you at both events!)

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

The Step You Cut Out In 2009…Might Be You

Fact is, more often than not, when you cut corners in sales the one that is affected most is you.  It is also a fact of business life that we're replaceable, as I've experienced myself. Why is it then that most people don't typically go the extra mile, especially when it is so needed?

This is not to say that there are not plenty of go-getters out there. Today it is critically important to think about making the most of every opportunity, especially with fewer prospects and less marketing dollars. Here is a list of common mistakes when it comes to achieving sales success in a down market:

1. Customer assumptions (examples: won't qualify, didn't want the aftermarket wheels, etc)
2. Market assumptions (examples: should call prospects less, nobody will buy when stocks are down, etc)
3. Other assumptions (examples: every lead will be for the unit we don't have, every customer is a jack, etc)

Taking out critical steps and not following sounds processes is what leads to failure. It's not the lead, not the market, not the model and not the customer. Successful sales people always do more than it takes and live by process. Take the time to build for your success by taking every step necessary. Some ideas you may want to consider for a successful 2009:

1. Create a set of tasks that you achieve every day and make them habit
    Set 1: start of day list (nothing else gets done before this does)
    Set 2: process on every sale with a required sign off or completion checklist
    Set 3: accountability checks throughout the day (follow ups, contacts, management)
    Set 4: end of day list (prepare for the next sales day before you leave and have tasks written down)
2. State, write down and maintain goals
    A. Make them visible and be accountable to them daily, weekly and monthly
    B. Track so you're not surprised
    C. Have others challenge you and check on you (do this with those who are more successful)
3. Learn, learn, learn
    A. Pick up something new as often as possible, even daily (task, idea, expert advice, etc)
    B. Apply sound principals
    C. Check for success, if it's not working…drop it

If you can do at least the above items and don't cut out any steps, you'll not only likely be successful but chances are you'll have saved your own job. In working with dealers last year, at least one sales person at every client didn't know how to work their compensation backwards. In other words, they had no idea how to make the $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 a month they said they wanted to based on more than a simple desire and some idea of units. To top it off, they usually had very little to none of the steps above to guide them.

If you're ready to reinvest in yourself as well as reinvent yourself, the time is now, the reason is you, the purpose is to do what needs to be done and the end game is success.  If you don't want to be in sales, clearly don't want to work Internet
leads and have no desire to do anything but 'wait', you're definitely looking at one clear outcome.

Little steps lead to bigger ones. You learned that as a child and then lost it in the hustle-and-bustle of our world. Remember that walking is controlled falling, that's all. You can fall without failing. Do what it takes to do what you do better. Make 2009 a great year of successes…starting now. Go out there and be great!

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Stay In The Driver’s Seat and You’ll Put More In Theirs

When it comes to the selling of cars today, it's not any easy task. Compared to the past twenty plus years, the cake walk has slowed to a drunk crawl. So what allows some folks in the 'Internet' sales world to deliver 15, 20 or even 25 and more per month? Control.

Staying in the driver's seat is not about dominating a conversation (or having a monologue with a prospect in front of you) or barely raising above a whisper for the fear of the person leaving the lot. Control is first about confidence, knowing that what you have to offer is more important than the piece of inventory that you're trying to sell. Being a dynamic listener and taking the time to qualify your customer keeps you from falling into sales (although there is nothing wrong with that, don't make it habit).

One of the greatest parts of staying in the driver's seat is learning, whether about the client or yourself. When you learn, you are taking steps toward the art of being in control. Once realized, you are no longer a victim or circumstance or, as Larry PInci of Sell The Feeling puts it, on the 'effect' side of the equation.

If you are typically in the driver's seat, you'll likely have your 2009 plans carved out (if not already in motion), have your targets planned for January, realized some things that you will both do and not do to cause change in the coming year and, chances are, have some 'use-of-technology' goals on the radar.

It is interesting to watch some of the data that comes out monthly (if not weekly as of late). Look at the trend in truck and SUV leads and sales over the past month. Surprised that people are buying them again, even with all of the focus in Washington D.C. over relevancy and MPG tied to providing loans to the domestic OEMs? Give people a reason to buy and they will.

Remember that people do what they want to do. Sometimes they need permission. When someone wants to buy a house, do they go to a dry cleaners or trash collector? Do you watch E! Television when you are considering which college to send your child to? Understand your market, your customers, your skills and your opportunities. Use control for all it's worth…heck you might even influence someone!

Stay in the driver's seat and people will come to you when it's time to buy a car.

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Week At IM@CS: Chats With The Industry

With the year coming to a close, it was time for a bigger perspective break from our traditional focus on smaller companies. This is a look back a the bigger conduits that may not always have had the spotlight, considering the focus on the OEMs, economy and other reasons. IM@CS would like to give credit to the following:

HomeNet: If Jesse Biter and the team at HomeNet don't continue to impress, you're not looking. With everything else they're doing to make inventory 'that much better', they added their IOL community to the list of accomplishments. Then they polished off the year by getting Neal Gann on board…great work Jesse and the folks at HomeNet! http://www.homenetinc.com

DealerSocket: We continue to be impressed by their product, innovation and support. The industry is focussed on CRM now, but there has to be more than strong intent to help dealers succeed or put out a great campaign to solicit signups. Some of the smallest and largest dealers in the country rely on Jonathan Ord's company daily and they seem to be sold on the whole package and not an image, great stuff! http://www.dealersocket.com

Automotive Digest: Outside of the fact that their content has been finding its way into the inbox here for a long time, their content is relevant, compelling, easy to read and timely. Chuck Parker and the team of contributors and editors seem to focus on what dealers need most, especially in the online world. There a number of titles to satisfy nearly everyone on your holiday list!! Dealer Digest Daily is the IM@CS favorite. http://www.automotivedigest.com

We'll try to keep these updates weekly and ultimately have an area where you can get in touch with the vendors.

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Don’t Worry About 2009…Unless You Have To

If there has ever been a time to realize the benefits of creating and executing on new strategies, it is the coming year. For those who went digital, got behind online completely, build their brand and reputation where the public actually spends their time, engaged their clientele via effective software and database activities, you will already have a great look into how your 2009 will sort out. Keep doing what you're doing and don't worry.

Now, if you haven't spent time assessing, looking at, determining and then executing your Interactive strategy, you have one decision with two options. And if you do opt for the 'stay in business' route, be prepared for a significant amount of technology this year, even simply from an integration standpoint. Things on the software, video, mobile and other aspects of marketing are going to accelerate.

Over the weekend, a number of conversations I was around included statements about newspapers, relevancy and readership, none of them positive. Separately, two people will be buying vehicles by March, their impressions already biased by sites they like. Others talked about past experiences being indicative of the future. Many people talked about making brand decisions based on the automotive industry coverage in the media, so I straightened those out at least. But overwhelmingly, people are using the web and not thinking about stepping foot in a dealership that is not in their specific scope of consideration.

Everything points to us having to do a better job attracting and connecting to our customer base online. It's winter, when is the last time you've had a banner ad on the local online traffic reports or weather updates on your local network news' website? Do you have links from local businesses' websites that have purchased vehicles from you? Even though we've focused a lot of attention on this lately: how many customers are providing online testimonials for you? (read: not many! Need ideas to get your customers to do that? here's one: ask them).

Your 2009 results will be based on what you are doing today and have been doing for the past few months. Those leads and customers are going to share their experience with others. The brand impressions people received months ago will undoubtedly affect who walks in your door tomorrow. There is no denying that your 2009 will be build on your ability to create a more significant presence in the areas where people consume media and data. Who's blogging, commenting and Twittering for you?

Challenge yourself to layout a plan for the first quarter that is web-based, create an environment of support throughout your entire store and get everyone to assist in deploying your new brand strategy. Get creative, become savvier, see yourself doing things that are not comfortable but will deliver results and ultimately take back ownership of your future.

There are a number of events that are dedicated to the Internet side of the business at the beginning of 2009. Commit to making those a part of your strategy and don't back out. Go the extra mile to figure out what you are going to do instead of being a victim of current circumstances.

Leave the worrying to others that don't take the time to invest in their future. Be confident in your direction and commitments. Spend your time and energy on things that deliver results rather than doubt. Thank you for reading this, now do something else online to further your business!

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Live By Process or Die By Process: A Message To Management

Dealers/General Managers and General Sales Managers, this is where the accountability starts: You and Process. I've not yet entered a store where the Internet business excelled despite management (ok, for more than one month). Heading into 2009, you must understand all of the fundamentals, be able to speak to the critical points with ease, know your vendors along with holding them accountable and stay up on what's happening in your store as well as outside.

The opportunity to hide behind anything that keeps you from being engaged with your online identity, understanding what your (Internet) sales staff is doing, knowing how your leads are being handled and taking part in how you message all of your customers has to end. In order to lead, be able to influence your staff and hold meaningful conversations with your sales team you must:

    1. Embrace the web and your presence (likely for the same reasons you use the Internet)
    2. Immerse yourself in learning, reading and understanding technology and the tools
    3. Have complete transparency (logs, reports, analytics, vendor updates/meetings)
    4. Validate the use and effectiveness of the web in everything you do

Stores are managed top down, period. People have faith when their leadership does the things that matter, support and recognize them.  A few questions to ask yourselves:

   Do I:
    1. have a clearly understood web plan, marketing platform and the appropriate staff?
    2. read magazines, e-newsletters and industry information that informs and validates the efforts?
    3. take time to sit down with staff that handles my Internet business?
    4. clearly define goals that make sense and hold people accountable?
    5. support online efforts by staying in touch with both my staff and customers?
    6. know at all times what my online brand, messages and staff are doing to promote completely?

It is not enough to put up a website, buy leads, plug in a CRM and wait for customer to run in. Think like a customer, act like a customer, ask like a customer, shop yourself like a customer and task your staff like a customer. Then you must make sure that you have a viable process and support it. Not half way. Not three quarters of the way. All the way.

Failure is not an option when you understand, plan and execute. Process is a great thing that breeds results. Process also shows areas of failure, possible improvement and validates all of your efforts. Remember, you can have the latest and greatest of everything but it won't matter if you can't back it up.

Make it your goal to set all of these things in motion now so your 2009 is something to talk about. More customers will enter your store online now than will ever physically walk into your dealership. Make sure you are 100% confident that those people will see and experience exactly what you want them to. Then do it over and over again…oh, and change your website a bit regularly just in case they actually spend some time on it…

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

Tear It Apart and Rebuild It…Better

Most of us who have spent any amount of time in sales realize that our
database/contact/Rolodex carries an incredible amount of value, in many
cases more than our skills or abilities. With the prevalence of CRM and
other database software, many believe that the job is done. Nothing can
be further than the truth.

Today it's more important than ever to continually tear down the client
database and make sure it delivers the most value and revenue possible.
Auto retailers are notoriously bad in this area and, quite honestly,
deserve the reputation. When we send the same newsletter, flier, direct
mail, etc to every customer/prospect, what type of message are we
delivering?

Better put, consider John Doe who's shopping for a Heeker Shnazer Beta
1. He sends two leads directly to two Heeker Shnazer dealers and also
requests quotes from dealers through CarsStink.com and
DontBuyACarHere.com which send the leads to three more Heeker Shnazer
dealers. When he doesn't buy for a few weeks, every dealer sends him
virtually the same eNewsletter linked to the same site with the same
content! It's great to be fast, respond, ask questions and try to get
the appointment but what are we really doing to connect with our guests?

If you are not segmenting your database and your customers, specifying
your content and setting expectations, someone else will. Or worse yet,
the lacking experience continues to validate consumers' opinion of car
dealers.

So, what does it take?
1. Start understanding why your 'ups' are in the market and actually put that info in your CRM
A. Empty nesters
B. Soccer mom
C. Petmobile
D. Weekend driver
2. Create a field so you can segment your database based on those categories
3. Set certain fields in your CRM that must be completed
A. email and/or text (customers cell & service carrier allow you to text message for free)
B. Reason in market
C. Follow up parameters
D. What they do (work, leisure, family, etc)

Remember, contextually relevant content will bring a person back. If
they don't open your first three emails/eNewsletters, they most likely
won't open one 36 months from now (if they don't unsubscribe in the
first place) when they're in market again. Don't blame your email
marketing company, you're the one that bought the same service your
competitor did. Remember: YOU are the marketer. Not the brand you sell.

Don't waste all of the data that you get when you're qualifying,
walking and delivering your customers or store it in the computer
behind your eyes. Work your database, update your database, market your
database and use your database effectively.

If you regularly check and rebuild your database, it will pay you back
handsomely. Do it yourself so you are not depending on something or
someone else to do it, which is the road to failure. Once you start
being really relevant, you won't believe where all the customers came
from.

Be smart, be efficient, be relevant, be timely, be smart…be successful.

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results