Posted by Holly Hamill on November 16, 2012 at 2:55pm
Mentoring is a wonderful thing that is often overlooked. When you decide to mentor and inspire someone, it affirms that you are on the right path. If you obtain all of the success that you could have imagined and give nothing back, the success and wealth fade away after you die. But if you take the time to help someone else, your legacy will live on. Making a positive impact in someone's life is the biggest achievement one could ever hope for. We teach things to our children so they can keep our traditions alive. Teaching someone your wisdom and knowledge in business or life will help instill those things into our future leaders.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 15, 2012 at 10:23am
Failure is a state of mind. It has been said that failure is not falling down but refusing to get up. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 times before he was successful in creating the light bulb. He said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Each time we believe we have failed at something, it is simply another step to the process. Henry Ford said, "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely." Unfortunately, most people see opportunities as work. This causes them to not try. If you get frustrated and filled with self-doubt, think how different our lives would be if the inventors of the past had let previous failures stop them.
I want to let you in on a secret to The Secret. The shortcut to anything you want in your life is to BE and FEEL happy now. It is the fastest way to bring money and anything else you want into your life. Focus on radiating out into the Universe those feelings of joy and happiness. When you do that, you will attract back to you all things that bring you joy and happiness, which will not only include an abundance of money, but everything else you are wanting.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 14, 2012 at 9:29am
Time is one of the most valuable natural resources we have. It is also one of the most misused. Time management is a vital key to success. Think of how much time is wasted daily on complaining about things that are out of our control, arguing about things that have no value, and worrying about things that may never happen. The next time you feel yourself falling into one of these traps, try reading something motivational to boost your morale, take a moment to look at the big picture and see things from another perspective, or focus on the things within your control that can make life run smoother for you and others.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 13, 2012 at 12:59pm
Too often people are held back because of their fear. For some, it is a fear of failure. For others, it is fear of the unknown. Everyone struggles with different fears in all aspects of their lives. Don't let fear control the direction of your life. If you are an Internet Coordinator who is afraid of saying the wrong thing to set an appointment, you probably aren't setting as many appointments as you could. Embrace the tools you have been given. Learn your scripts and learn from the trainers & successful coordinators at your disposal. We have all been there in one way or another.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 12, 2012 at 11:24am
Choosing to have a positive attitude is one of the most important things you can do for yourself each day. I realize that some days it is easier said than done. If we make a conscious choice each day, several times a day if necessary, it will have an impact on every interaction we have. Our attitude can influence the attitudes and experience of others. Likewise, be aware that other peoples' attitudes can influence you. Try to surround yourself with positive people. Negative people can bring your spirit down. Positive people help lift your spirit and encourage you to be better than you ever dreamed. Below is the full quote by Charles Swindoll. Please share this and take it to heart.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 9, 2012 at 10:47am
Setting correct goals is key to achieving success. It is good to set small, short term goals. This allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment when you reach them. It is even more pivotal to set larger, long term goals. This gives our lives direction. It gives purpose. Without setting the proper goals, the tasks and challenges we face on a daily basis seem meaningless.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 8, 2012 at 9:56am
Today, take a moment for a little self assessment. How much passion do you feel about the things you do? How often do you express that passion? If you come to the conclusion that you no longer have the passion you once did, try to find one small thing to ignite that passion again. When others see the passion in you, it may just ignite passion in them and inspire wonderful achievement.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 7, 2012 at 4:24pm
Rational Versus Organic Approach to Problem Solving
Rational
A person with this preference often prefers using a comprehensive and logical approach similar to the guidelines in the above section. For example, the rational approach, described below, is often used when addressing large, complex matters in strategic planning.
Define the problem. Examine all potential causes for the problem. Identify all alternatives to resolve the problem. Carefully select an alternative. Develop an orderly implementation plan to implement that best alternative. Carefully monitor implementation of the plan. Verify if the problem has been resolved or not. A major advantage of this approach is that it gives a strong sense of order in an otherwise chaotic situation and provides a common frame of reference from which people can communicate in the situation. A major disadvantage of this approach is that it can take a long time to finish. Some people might argue, too, that the world is much too chaotic for the rational approach to be useful.
Organic
Some people assert that the dynamics of organizations and people are not nearly so mechanistic as to be improved by solving one problem after another. Often, the quality of an organization or life comes from how one handles being “on the road” itself, rather than the “arriving at the destination.” The quality comes from the ongoing process of trying, rather than from having fixed a lot of problems. For many people it is an approach to organizational consulting. The following quote is often used when explaining the organic (or holistic) approach to problem solving.
“All the greatest and most important problems in life are fundamentally insoluble … They can never be solved, but only outgrown. This “outgrowing” proves on further investigation to require a new level of consciousness. Some higher or wider interest appeared on the horizon and through this broadening of outlook, the insoluble lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms, but faded when confronted with a new and stronger life urge.” From Jung, Carl, Psychological Types (Pantheon Books
November 5, 2012 – Right Now "'Now' is the operative word. Everything you put in your way is just a method of putting off the hour when you could actually be doing your dream. You don't need endless time and perfect conditions. Do it now. Do it today. Do it for twenty minutes and watch your heart start beating."~Barbara Sher~
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."~Albert Einstein~
"Some of us need to discover that we will not begin to live more fully until we have the courage to do and see and taste and experience much less than usual ... And for a man who has let himself be drawn completely out of himself by his activity, nothing is more difficult than to sit still and rest, doing nothing at all. The very act of resting is the hardest and most courageous act he can perform." ~Thomas Merton~
APPOINTMENTS Today: 17+ Minimum Phone Calls Per ISC/hr: 15+
Minimum Emails Per ISC/hr: 15+
APPOINTMENTS PER ISC: 4
Hint of the Day: What are you doing right now to be more effective than you were yesterday? Don’t Settle.
Posted by Holly Hamill on November 1, 2012 at 11:32am
Every night before you fall asleep, give heartfelt thanks for the wonderful day you just had (no matter what kind of day you had). Think about the next day, and intend that it is going to be wonderful. Intend that it is going to be the best day of your life. Intend that it is going to be filled with love and joy. Intend that all good is coming to you and everything is going to flow perfectly, etc. Then when you wake in the morning, BEFORE you get out of bed, again declare your intentions for the day and give deep thanks as though you have received them all. As you do this, you will begin to create your life deliberately, and you will experience firsthand the power that is within you to create the life you want.
Posted by Holly Hamill on October 3, 2012 at 8:30am
The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn. Alvin Toffler
The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The more that learn to read, the less learn how to make a living. That's one thing about a little education. It spoils you for actual work. The more you know, the more you think somebody owes you a living. Will Rogers
The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. Robert M. Hutchins
The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change. Carl Rogers
You can change the numbers to fit your departments' expectations, however, here's an example of an email sent to coordinators by their great director in the morning
APPOINTMENTS Today: 16+ Minimum Phone Calls Per ISC/hr: 15+ Minimum Emails Per ISC/hr: 15+ APPOINTMENTS PER ISC: 5.5
Hint of the Day: Be disciplined today. Do not settle for less. Hustle hard.
Congratulations to Eric Nichols, Internet Sales Manager in Riverhead Long Island!
Eric is Delivering 52+ units per month in a 2.5 person department-
AIS - How Long have you been in the Automotive Sales Industry?
EN - 5 and 1/2 years. I was in the United States Navy before that for 4+ years.
AIS - How did you go from Navy to a Car Dealership?
EN - I worked some dead end jobs until my brother, Brian gave me a job in a BDC.
AIS -What type of training did you go through?
EN - Nothing except what was regurgitated down from the managers at the dealership, who were making it up as they went or heard something from somebody or the OEM. Until we hired http://www.DealereTraining.com / Stan Sher.
AIS - How did you meet up with Stan Sher and his company?
EN - Ironically, the GM brought him in after seeing that Stan Sher was a trainer for the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. At first, Stan "Mystery Shopped" my dealership. Needless to say, I wasn' t that thrilled at first LOL! However I have become close with him and have learned a lot. Basically all of the ideas I had that were swirling in my head, Stan helped me articulate them and implement them.
AIS - So, I am going to transition the conversation for a little bit...
EN - I actually LOVE them!! It is my biggest tool! It is my command center. It is my complete accountability for my GM. After, Stan Sher helped setup processes in the CRM and create a guideline for how to measure the results in the BDC the tool has become my best friend.
AIS - Since you got excited when I mentioned the CRM, lets go a little deeper...
How do you use your CRM?
EN - We have an automated Email Action Plan, Data Mining, Lease Retention, Unsold Showroom Follow Up, Internet Leads, Incoming Phone Ups... Everything.
AIS - Any Social Media Integration with your CRM?
EN - Not at this time. Although we learned from Dealer eTraining the importance of incorporating social media into follow up especially with leads that have no phone number or leads that are unresponsive.
AIS - What is your internet lead process?
EN - First, there is ONLY 1 "automated" email template... The 1st one. Then we send manual emails for the next 14 days... THEN it goes into the "automated category" until day 44. Then it goes into a MONTHLY Email Protocol. We incorporate value builders and stress the importance of our positive online reputation in our process.
AIS - How long do you follow up with a prospect?
EN - 180 days... 90 days is NOT Enough Anymore. In fact, some OEMs require longer processes. We noticed that our customers have extended their buying cycle to as long as 180 days.
AIS - How do you handle the Phone Call Follow Up Process?
EN - It is different...
As soon as we get the lead, we IMMEDIATELY make the phone call. If we do not connect, Then we call them AGAIN, later on that day.
So, another way of explaining it is for the first 10 days we call TWICE a day... Morning and night, for a total of 20 calls in ten days.
Then we go from 10 days to 12 days to 14 days...
Then we call 21 -26 - 31 THEN we start calling monthly.
AIS - What is your Online Reputation Management Strategy?
EN - We were using Dealer.com but just cancelled to go to www.flipstreammedia.com - THEY ARE AWESOME! We are of the highest rated Honda dealerships in New York on DealerRater, Google Places, and other sites. It is a requirement of all of our staff members to attain at least one review per week.
Driving Sales - I actually wrote an article on Driving Sales
(I will POST it HERE)
“Use the Source” By Eric Nichols
For the first time in automotive history dealers can now get an accurate idea of where their marketing dollars are going and how well they are performing. Yes I am taking about the all mighty source. No not the force, “THE SOURCE”. It may not be able to help you move items around or read people’s minds, but it does something even better…. MAKES YOU MORE MONEY…
In my years as a BDC rep and a BDC director, I have learned that the source can be mastered and understood now more than ever before. How is that you ask, quite simple with the following simple steps I have come up with you will be able to not only save on your marketing dollars but will you can profit off of it.
Step 1- Understanding Sourcing…. The traditional advertising types radio, TV. Newspapers never gave you an accurate idea of if your marketing efforts where effective. When sourcing you need to use the parent, child approach.If your paying for all these campaigns you need to know what is working
PARENT= SOURCE meaning the broad spectrum source.
EXAMPLES OF SOURCE CODES
Fresh-up- A fresh up is any customer that comes to the dealership for no other reason but driving by or just walking into the dealership.
“NO ADVERTISING YOU ARE DOING BROUGHT THEM IN”
PHONE UP- Any customer who calls into your dealership that cannot be sourced to any specific advertising or 1-800- tracking #. Meaning if a customer calls your dealership using one of your individual 1-800 #’s and it shows up under that marketing effort, such as website, auto trader, cars, autousa, vehix, dealix etc……..THEY ARE NOT A TRUE PHONE UP THEY ARE WHATEVER MARKETING EFFORT THEY ARE TIED TO. INTERNET, TV, RADIO, ETC… EVERY MARKETING EFFORT SHOULD HAVE INDIVIDUAL AND SEPARATE TRACKING #’s FOR EACH AD.
Internet- any prospect that comes from any form of digital advertising online. It’s pretty simple as stated before if they send a lead/email into you it is pre-sourced in your CRM and labeled where it came from. Same with the internet phone calls your call tracking will say what website it came from. “INTERNET IS NOW ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS YOU TALK TO. LIKE IT OR NOT ITS FACT.”
INTERNET/FRESH-UP- Last but not least my own creation. So before I explain to you what an Internet/Fresh Up is. Let me ask you a question.
A customer walks into your dealership and you ask how did you hear about us? They are going to say the either one of the above sources. It is your job to dig to see where they came from. ASK ASK ASK.
Statistics say out of 100% of all traffic
8% emailed before coming in
12% called before coming in
80% came in without emailing or calling.
Now that 80% is a curious thing do you think that 80% just came in for the heck of it, No something brought them in. Now are you ready for the Shocker out of that 80% of unknown origin. 75% of that # saw you on the internet, Car buyers will hit your website or your car listing about 7 times before they come in and the time searching is 15hrs or more online shopping. All you need to do is ASK... Don’t take the easy way out it’s your money either you ask or make sure your people ask.
- YOU COULD POTENTIALLY BE EITHER..
WASTING MONEY ON BAD ADS
CANCELING MARKETING EFFORTS THAT ARE MAKING YOU MONEY. Example... My dealer principal wanted me to cancel a major listing company because we were not tracking well with leads. I put the foot to my people to ASK ASK ASK….. And low and behold it was one of the top reasons for my walk-in traffic sales.
So the point is that just because they are a walk-in doesn’t mean that you can’t source them correctly. Yes they did not email or call but a certain marketing approach brought them down find out what it is. If it’s the internet you need to know that. Hence INTERNET/FRESH-UP. It’s neither a true internet nor is it a true fresh-up.
CHILD = TRACKING CODE
Don’t worry no long drawn out explanation on this one. Tracking code is the exact marketing listing, basically whatever company you are using that is promoting your listing. Simple as that.
So now that I have explained the different sourcing structures, how do you us put a plan into effect to get these sources? The only efficient way to do this is the following way and it may sound like a pain in the rear but it’s the only effective method.
HAVE A GREETER AT THE FRONT DOOR TAKE ALL INCOMING UP SHEETS AND LOG THEM INTO YOUR CRM… MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. WE ALL KNOW THAT SALES REPS DON’T CARE AS LONG AS THEY MAKE A SALE THEY DON’T CARE WHERE THEY COME FROM AS LONG AS THEY COME IN. IT IS ON MANAGEMENT TO ENFORCE THIS. Having the greeter enter all info into the CRM will also ensure an accurate count of how many showroom visits you truly have. I have worked with managers who don’t collect log sheets, they throw them out to increase their closing ratio, they lose them the list goes on and on. As a GM, GSM, Dealer principal, BDC Manager it is on you to make sure that this is followed to a tee. The reason being is not only proper sourcing but proper follow-up is completed. And as you know that means more money in all of your pockets. Times are hard in our business now make the most out of everything you get in the door.
TO BE CONTINUED..... EPISODE 2: THE RETURN OF THE DUPLICATE
AIS - What types of advice do you have for other ISMs or Internet Departments reading this article?
EN - EASY... Analytics. Analytics. Analytics...
VERIFY everything. Be sure. NEVER Guess. I learned that by mastering your CRM reporting, Google Analytics, and other reports that you will always be able to monitor the success and/or shortcomings for the BDC department as well as the dealership.
From all of us here at Dealer Synergy (and AIS), we'd like to wish everyone a safe and Happy Fourth of July!! Of course, today is the day we spend in the backyard, grilling, swimming in the pool and having a good time with family and friends. Then, of course, later we'll watch the fireworks!
But, we also must remember the importance of this historic day! Today is the day the United States of America gained its independence. Its Freedom.
(It also might be the day we all watch INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!)
Ok... You saw that video. Now watch the previous video. I am SO proud of this team. They went from Not feeling comfortabel, not being able to clear the whole 10 steps to CRUSHING it.
But that is STILL Not enough... I want my team to know the phone process inside and out, forwards and backwards. They will get there!
