CEO of Dealer Synergy, Sean V. Bradley, shows you how your actions lead to rewards or consequences. The number of ups you take has a direct impact on the number of cars you sell. If you up 80 people, you'll sell 20 cars. When you up more people, you will sell more cars. Conversely, when you don't create enough leads and up enough customers, you will not sell enough cars. Check out this edition of Make Money Mondays now and enjoy the automotive tips!
In today's Womens Wednesday, we focus on selling to women. Let's get real: Research indicates that women rely on reviews 50% more than men. They account for 52% of the vehicles purchased in the US and influence over 80% of the total purchases! So developing a marketing strategy to target this substantial buying segment is critical. Wouldn’t becoming a Certified Women-Drivers Dealer be a great first step?
7-Ways to Leverage and Merchandise your Certification to Increase Sales and CSI
Leverage your Women-Drivers Certification by distinguishing your dealership from others in your city! Advertising the Certification like this shows women that you are serious about their business and treat them exceptionally. Over one-third of women buyers feel that the dealership website that they visited was not helpful. So that is an excellent place to start!
1. Integrate the Women-Drivers Car-Buying and Service Guide into your website. The WCBSG is a micro-site within your site that contains an abundance of content and tips for women on many areas of shopping and servicing vehicles and is a clear indication that you appreciate their business. CLICK HERE for more information. Make sure you include the WCBSG in your navigation and main site rotator.
2. Incorporate the Women-Drivers logo into your website. Include it in main navigation items such as About Us, New Cars, Used Cars and Service and Parts. Provide a link to your reviews.
3. Be a ZMOT practitioner. Incorporate W-D Reviews on your VDP’s to take advantage of that Zero Moment of Truth when the shopper is trying to determine if you have the Right vehicle and if you’re the Right dealership for her!
4. Improve your Women-Drivers conversion ratio by including your Certified Logo and status in every lead response to female shoppers. Let them know that you are the only, or one of few, W-D certified dealers in your town and provide them a link to your reviews.
5. Make your reviews more engaging. With our mobile platform and photo upload system, you can get a positive review AND take a picture of your happy customer with their new vehicle, right at time of delivery. This will make your reviews much more engaging and more likely to be shared by your women buyers. Remember all Women-Drivers positive reviews are automatically pushed to Facebook.
6. Targeting your Digital Advertising. One of the best ways to reach women these days is on Pandora radio. Its unique format and technology allows you to target JUST women. One of the neat aspects of Pandora radio is your radio ads come with “companion” digital display ads. So you could create a digital ad specifically targeting women and link the ad to the WCBSG on your website. Pretty cool!
7. Traditional Advertising still strong among women. As you know, there are certain TV and Cable shows geared specifically towards women. Your rep can show you the research and put together a buy to target women. Using your W-D Certified Logo, produce a commercial specifically designed to reach women and leverage your certification and desire to make their shopping experience both pleasant and productive.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women?
Click here
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here
Today we are looking at the Service Drive. This is the critical department where your female customers visit in between purchasing or leasing their vehicles. With all the touch points in the service department, it's also happens to be the highest gross margin department in your store. It's the place where retention happens - or doesn’t.
The Good News?
Women are having very good experiences on the front end of the dealership. 93% of women report it was easy to schedule their service appointment. Furthermore, a stellar 95% of women report being satisfied with the way they were greeted by the service advisor. Better yet, 96% were completely satisfied with their dealership experience. Bravo!
The Bad News?
There is a drop off at the end of the interaction. How so? Only 69% of women report receiving follow-up communication from their dealership… a huge miss! Why not send them a personalized email for a free car wash? A free tire rotation or oil change? Additionally, 13% of our reviews report the service was not completed correctly, on time or at the estimated price. This is more troubling, as over one in 10 women can be leaving your dealership, and because you don’t even know it , you can’t resolve the issue and retain that customer.
Want more information on this all-important topic? Click here to read
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women?
Click here
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here
Today’s Women’s Wednesday is a must-read as we focus on the cost to your dealership when women walk out.
In the Wall Street Journal last month, it was reported there are now more women drivers on the road than men. The last several years the auto industry has witnessed a big and not so surprising shift in the car buyer demographics particularly in terms of gender.
This leaves many dealerships shifting their paradigm in terms of how to re-strategize their business and marketing plan to truly optimize sales to women. And, it’s leaving other dealers unsure as to exactly how to do that!
Women Walkouts: A $4 Million Cost Analysis
Dealerships don’t even know that they can increase their sales another $4 million dollars a year. How? Most walk 10-15 women out their door each month and don’t even know it. By paying more attention to women and providing critical respect + trust the whole way through the sales engagement process; those browsers can be converted to buyers. Easily.
Today, when a woman walks out your store dissatisfied without making a purchase, it’s a matter of concern, because:
Double Check Your Automatic Response, “That Doesn’t Happen Here, We Treat Everyone the Same”
Women shop at 1.9 dealers before buying a vehicle, or the equivalent of 30% more dealerships than men. Why is that? They want to get it right, and avoid getting it wrong. Don’t be so quick to think she is not leaving your store. An unhappy potential car shopper walking out of your store costs you a fortune - literally. Here’s what is put on the line when this happens:
1. You Lose the Opportunity to Make a Quarter-of-a-Million Dollar Sale
Women buy or lease an average of 8 cars in their lifetime. At today’s average price of $32,500 that money adds up quickly. Plus service drive visits over the long haul; that is a huge chunk of gross profit and sales, too.
2. You Lose a Customer for Life, or at least a Long time
Lose the loyalty that this woman and family + friends bring. Not to mention, her many referrals. Huge miss!
3. You Lose More Potential Buyers
Women are influential. This can work in your favor or against you. So, whether she is just looking around and browsing, you need to offer the ultimate shopping experience so that she walks out your door feeling content. If that happens, she’ll spread the word and - return to buy. If it doesn’t, she will walk and talk. It’s a pretty simple formula. Which side of the $4 million will your dealership be on? In today’s hyper-competitive market, its time to pay much closer attention.
Want more information on this all-important topic? Click here to read
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here
A recent Wall Street Journal article titled “Car Sellers Refine Pitch to Women” revealed that more women are driving than men. In fact, there are 105+ million women on the roads today, as opposed to 104+ million men and more elderly women are holding on to their driver’s license (USA Today, Nov. 2012). As the relationship women have with their cars tightens, it’s time the industry takes notice and adjusts their pitch to reflect a more engaging “hello."
So how can a dealership make that emotional connection with women? Rattle off horsepower numbers? Well, sure that’s one way. Another innovative way dealerships can connect is through the discussion of UV damage through windows and the windshield. Melanoma is on the rise and women’s hands bake in the sun while driving. As Americans, especially Californians, spend more and more time on the road (up to 600 hours a year), that’s more time spent exposed to the deadly powers of the sun.
Did you know that skin cancers occur more commonly on the left side of the body because that is the “driving” side (www.skincancer.org). A woman’s left arm and hands are constantly exposed. With hundreds of hours spent in the sun every year, her skin is increasingly at risk for skin cancer. Additionally, her skin is significantly aging (and let’s face it, the hands always give away a woman’s age).
The Skin Cancer Foundation provides guidelines for preventing skin cancer. The first, and best, line of defense is covering up with clothing, preferably UPF-rated clothing—not sunscreen. While sunscreen is the second best alternative, it must be applied every two hours to work. Rarely is this done; sunscreen is messy and reapplying is inconvenient when a woman is driving to and from work, picking up the kids from school, or running errands.
Beyond health concerns, think of it from a marketing perspective. Your concern regarding UV damage shows that you care. As buyers, women want you to care about them as people, not just the safety factor of the car. They would love it if you left a pair of fashionable UPF driving gloves in the car as a “safety precaution” and thank you gift. They would tell all of their friends about that and you would have a friend for life!
This is why you should meet Sundriven UV Apparel. After having lost relatives to melanoma, the founder was determined to create safe, fashionable products for women that prevent against sun damage. The result was the perfect driving glove with a UPF 50+, the highest rating. There is no sunscreen on the market that can protect like these eco-friendly, sustainable, and luxury driving gloves can.
For more information to assist with information for your women clients, sharing more information on your social channels, or offering this innovative type clothing when driving, contact Sundriven. Women’s Month is just around the corner!
In today’s competitive marketplace, women buyers are crucial for auto dealers' success. Just take a look at numbers and reported growth opportunities in a recent Wall Street Journal article.
It may be no surprise that car buying is an emotional purchase for women. Even on the heels of a recent survey showing women are comfortable with negotiation than men, there is still a huge upside for dealers to create an empowering buying experience for women.
Every other woman in the United States purchases a car by herself. While many women are confidant and excited, others walk in with different emotions. Consider, that 3 in 10 women report being apprehensive about their visit while 20% are nervous and overwhelmed. You don’t know which woman coming in your door is feeling what. Nonetheless, it is vital to encourage and boost women's confidence, respect and trust from the get-go. Establishing trust-based relationships and assisting them in a considerate, flexible, non-intimidating manner is the equation for having a browser convert to a buyer. Anything short of that, she walks.
Tips to Empower Women and Increase Buyers + Retention:
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here
Cathy Anderson, right, owner of Woody Anderson Ford, a Huntsville, Ala., dealership, discusses a car with
Connie Hicklen. Shawn Poynter for the Wall Street Journal
On a recent hot summer night outside Detroit, a 62-year-old woman sat in a chair watching the Telegraph Cruise, a classic-car parade on Telegraph Avenue in Taylor, Mich., when a stranger approached and began asking questions.
What kind of car did she drive? Why had she chosen that automobile? What did this choice say about her identity?
The stranger, it turned out, was Chris Lezotte, a Ph.D candidate at Bowling Green State University, in Ohio, who was doing ethnographic research for her dissertation on the relationship women have with cars.
Ms. Lezotte is one of a small army of researchers trying to get inside the heads of women who need transportation—"to uncover the various meanings women ascribe to cars in a variety of contexts," as she puts it. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute put out a study in 2012 showing that the number of women drivers in the U.S. had surpassed that of men, 105.7 million to 104.3 million, as of 2010.
Ever since, researchers have been wondering why the car-shopping and buying experience is still such a man's game. The National Automobile Dealers Association says last year some 91% of car salesmen at franchised dealerships were men.
Women accounted for 39% of car purchases in 2013, up from 37% four years earlier, according to J.D. Power. That may not seem like a big change, until you consider that Americans bought almost 15.6 million cars last year. A 2% shift represents more than 300,000 vehicles.
When a man buys a car, there is often a woman behind the decision, according to the buzz in auto circles. Globally, women are "making the final decision on more than 60% of new car purchases," said Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive of Nissan Motor Co, in a speech in July.
Chris Lezotte, a Ph. D candidate studying women's relationships
with their cars, in her 1949 Ford Coupe. Alan Kalter
Melody Lee, director of brand and reputation strategy for General Motors Co.'s Cadillac division, says she believes women wield influence in anywhere from 85% to 95% of car purchases. "That's what we're seeing in our showrooms and that's what our dealers are telling us," she said.
Here's another statistic, culled from her research: "If 74% of women feel that they are misunderstood [by car marketers] but they're influencing up to 95% of our car purchases—that's a huge missed opportunity there," she says.
Researchers say demographic shifts offer more reasons for auto makers to refine their sales pitch to women. Women earn more, marry later and divorce more often than they used to. And both women (and men) can be formidable customers, arriving at the dealership armed with research found online, so they aren't at the mercy of a salesman.
At the same time, social media give women "a voice that can impact brands like no other time in history," says Jody DeVere, chief executive of AskPatty, a women's automotive-advisory website.
AskPatty.com is a kind of automotive matchmaking website for women. Its panel of female experts, from automotive executives to magazine editors to race-car drivers, give women advice on buying, maintaining and insuring cars. At the same time, it sells services to automotive companies who want to attract more women customers.
By completing Web-training modules, retailers can be certified by AskPatty.com as "Female Friendly." AskPatty also offers webinars on how to reach women buyers who are Hispanic or baby boomers.
A newer company with some similar aims is Women-drivers.com, which serves as a forum for women to discuss experiences at specific car dealerships. It also offers support for dealers with feedback from women, content for social media and its own market research. Even before Chief Executive Anne Fleming founded the company in 2013, she had begun compiling her own research on car buying, by sending a questionnaire to some 500 women. The company's continuing research has found that women visit an average of 1.9 dealerships before buying. And 47.5% of women who bought a new car went to the dealership by themselves.
Experts have found women are more likely to rely on online customer reviews and friends' opinions when shopping, while men are more likely to turn to expert reviews.
Ford Motor Co. has created a program called "Live.Drive.Love," which offers women 24-hour test drives. Chantel Lenard, director of U.S. marketing for Ford and Lincoln, said, "It's an opportunity [for women] to experience the product on their own time, in their own environments, so they can show it to friends."
What's down the road? Consider this statistic, Ms. Lenard says. Among millennials—the young adults all industries will soon be fighting for, if they aren't already—53% of car buyers are female. A 2013 Autotrader.com study also projects U.S. millennials will be the wealthiest generation ever.
"We're seeing a shift where females are becoming the majority," Ms. Lenard said. "It's an important market and we want to make sure we're delivering on their needs."
Today’s Women’s Wednesday we are focusing on the up$ide of reviews and what they really boil down to with women shoppers, prospects and buyers.
While you know that women buy almost half of all cars purchased and influence even a much higher number, are you aware of the real upside in selling more cars to women by distinguishing your store as a women+family friendly marketplace? Why is this important? Let’s take a closer look.
Men shop at 1.4 dealerships while women visit 1.9 dealerships prior to buying a car. One-third of women are apprehensive about the buying experience and 20% report being overwhelmed. In fact, a recent poll shows that women are 50% more likely to rely on car dealer reviews than their male counterparts. Why? They want to get the purchase right and avoid getting it wrong. Elite dealers leverage reviews in advertising to mitigate any negative emotions of some customers and to showcase that their dealership is a pain-free company with which to do business.
A brilliant way to distinguish their store from the competition.
JD Power reports women are more generous than men when rating their dealership experience
Women relate to other women and trust these reviews more than ones written by men
Certified Dealers Upside is in the Million$
Let’s be frank. Women can buy a car anywhere in your city for within a couple of hundred dollars from another dealer. Distinguish your store from the others by using your certified logo in your advertising and branding yourself as a Certified Women-Drivers Friendly Dealer. Benchmark with your sales team how many cars you sell to women each month and keep track of it.
By selling just 5 more cars each you will add $2M to your sales at your store.10 more cars will add an average of $4M in sales and 15 more will bring in $6M more in sales annually! Get your team on board and turn those women browsers into women buyers by having them walk into your dealership as a destination store they have come to do business with because of your stellar reputation with women+families.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here
Good Selling!
Last month there was such strong interest in our mid-year report “Dealers Websites are #1 with Women Buyers” we have decided to follow it up with more nuggets regarding your site, engagement and women shoppers.
As competition rises, it’s the right time for dealerships to focus on areas of improvement, engagement, and delivering a quality experience to women customers. Today we are focusing on low cost, positive and quiet changes that can make a big difference in showcasing transparency to women.
1. Provide Email and Direct Number Details: Make it easy for your women prospects to locate and contact the people that they are working with. Email addresses, direct phone or even a cell number is ideal.
2. Professional Photos of the Staff on the Website: By posting professional pictures of your staff with their names and titles, it is easy for customers to give a face to the voice they have spoken to. Or, at least, it will lower any anxiety or mystery about whom they will be working with during the car buying process
The #1 online destination for women shoppers is your website? That’s right, dealer’s websites are the top on-line source women visit when in the car buying funnel. Yet, one-third of women report that their dealer’s website was NOT helpful. Making the access, usability, color, content and design appeal as user-friendly as possible is paramount to YOUR business success.
For more "Small Changes in Your Digital Footprint Create Easier Access for Women," Click Here.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here.
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here.
Good Selling!
Today's Women’s Wednesday we are focusing on the new top reason women are buying from their sales advisor. Trust has always trumped price when it comes to buying from a sales advisor, but now, in our latest mid-year #bigdata report directly from women's reviews, “trust” no longer has the top spot.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Aretha Franklin couldn’t define it better. Respect is now the #1 prerequisite to trust in the formula to selling to women.
The top 5 reasons women buy from their sales consultant are ranked as follows:
1. Respectful
2. Trustworthy
3. Likeable
4. Knowledgeable
5. Understanding
The 6th reason women buy a car from a salesperson is price. Of course, it doesn’t mean that price is not important to women. It means that having a personable, empathetic, real, approachable, open, and friendly engagement is paramount first and foremost. Pretty much like a first date. Nothing can happen before she sums you up. You have to pass the first test - then, and only then will there be a discussion regarding the price of the vehicle.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here.
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here.
Today, our Women's Wednesday focuses on the ranking of the top 20 auto brands, as of July 1st, and how they are rated by women car buyers.
After analyzing the car dealer reviews written by women when purchasing a vehicle from January through June, the information below summarizes the top 20 brands by Women Satisfaction Index® scores on a scale of 5.0 (perfect) to 1.0 (lowest). The average WSI® for all brands is 4.72 during this time period.
1. Mercedez-Benz - 4.98
2. Volvo - 4.96
3. Lincoln - 4.89
4. Dodge - 4.88
5. Mitsubishi - 4.87
6 & 7. Chrysler & Jeep - 4.86
8. Buick - 4.84
9. Volkswagen - 4.83
10. Lexus - 4.82
11. Chevrolet - 4.80
12. Ford - 4.79
13. Audi - 4.78
14. Toyota - 4.74
15. Mazda - 4.72
16. GMC - 4.71
17. Honda - 4.70
18 & 19 & 20. Hyundai & Nissan & Subaru - 4.68
3 in 10 women are apprehensive about their car dealership visit when buying a car. In fact, 20% feel downright overwhelmed. Top rated dealerships get the critical importance of establishing trust with their female clients the moment they walk onto the showroom floor or reach
out digitally. It is the only thing that matters to her. Price is secondary.
If rapport and respect cannot be immediately established, she will buy a vehicle elsewhere.
Congratulations to dealers that are using the Women-Drivers.com Certification to distinguish and market their store! They are selling more cars and their WSI® shows how satisfied - how happy - women are when buying their car.
Our model goes beyond reputation management to an expanded level of really understanding your women clientele. Dealers with 50 reviews and more receive their own customized WSI® Dealer DATA Report that helps take guesswork out of marketing to women. Click to view Demo.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here.
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here.
Most auto shoppers start their search on the web but would it surprise you to know that the #1 online destination for women shoppers is your dealership’s website? That’s right, our research lists the top sites nationally that women visit prior to buying a vehicle. They include:
We also know that women account for over 50% of all vehicles purchased and influence up to 80% of those purchases. It would seem important that a dealer’s website cater to this substantial segment of the market.
Did You Know?
A new report by Women-Drivers.com shows a huge upside still remains. One-third of women buyers report that the dealership website that they visited was not helpful. What can you do to improve your website?
A. Understand the Target Market
To make your website more female friendly you need a better understanding of women buyers, their online research behavior and buying habits. A global leader in measuring the digital world, comScore Inc., has released a new study that sheds some light on this topic, which includes highlights:
1. Social networking is central to women’s Internet experience: Integrate social tools into your website that allow for photo viewing and sharing. Show vehicle models that appeal to women.
2. Community and Lifestyle sites attract women: Create a community page on your website. Women relate to family activities. Create a Lifestyle page showing vehicle in various settings.
3. Women have different preferences when it comes to online search. They prefer Bing in a way that men don’t” – When running BING PPC campaigns, use female centric search phases like “Most Popular Cars For Women” and link to a page featuring those vehicles.
4. The rise of online solitaire, card and board games has generated a new audience of gamers: women.
5. Women tend to consume less video overall than men but show more of a propensity for YouTube. Develop “How To” videos, host on You Tube and have links on your website. Ah…. a real plus for SEO.
B. Other Areas to Increase Women’s Engagement & Sales
1. Women are style conscience: Maybe it’s time for a modern site “makeover”. Hold the pink.
2. Quality + Informational Content: Another way to keep women hooked is to post quality and informational content on the site. Make sure it’s relevant and valuable for women+families. Be her trusted advisor 365/24/7 – not just the 3 days a year she is in your store. How? Visit here.
3. Chat feature: Is a nice way to start interacting and is a safe, non-threatening feature.
4. Create a staff page where customers can see who they are interacting with; can put a face to the name and include email links.
For more on Engaging Women on your Website Click here.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here.
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here.
Today’s Women’s Wednesday focuses on women’s reviews, and why they MUST be a critical, daily and intentional component of your business practice – both with the sales team and in the service drive.
As the #BigDataAuthority on women’s dealership experiences, we have shared that this powerful buying segment will purchase 27 million cars at new and used car dealerships this year. That equates to over 75,000 vehicles a day. What is your share of this?
Did You Know?
1. Women rely on and use car dealer reviews 50% more than men. This makes sense as they don't want to get it wrong.
2. JD Power reports that women leave higher scoring dealer reviews than men.
3. Women go to 2 dealerships before buying a car. If they leave your dealership and don't buy - 70% of them will NOT return.
4. The top reason women buy from your dealership is NOT price. The way she is treated is paramount.
Market your trust and transparency via the positive reviews you have received. Women especially trust other women reviews and experiences. This helps them narrow down their choices on where to buy a car.
How to Be the Go-to-Dealership for Women
So stop selling exclusively on price alone.
Begin advertising to women+families on what matters to them: they are treated exceptionally and are provided a tremendous value in the product they are buying. And, reviews reinforce that your shoppers can count on that.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here to learn more.
Did you receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here to download.
There was a great article published by Motoramic about the most reliable car brands which you can read here. The author determined the most reliable automotive brands by looking at almost 350,000 appraisals performed by “professional car buyers who are trained to detect mechanical and structural issues” with no biases. The study is beneficial because most reliability studies are on new cars within the first 90 days. Longer term reliability studies don’t usually go beyond three to five years.
We wanted to come up with our own algorithm to determine reliability and see if our findings matched Motoramic. We analyzed over 500,000 cars, model years 1995 to 2014, listed for sale on MojoMotors.com to determine the average selling price depending on a vehicle’s mileage. Using a linear regression model, we were able to calculate the dollars of value lost as mileage increased and ultimately, the number of miles until a car lost all value.
In other words, we found out how much mileage could be racked up before a car became valueless. Less reliable brands will lose value quicker since they have a greater chance of breaking down with fewer miles on the odometer. Make sense? One thing to remember – just because a car is considered valueless beyond a certain number of miles in this study doesn’t mean it won’t drive for another 100,000 miles.
Mazda has been known for building economical cars. Their lineup has expanded in the last few years as they now offer compact, midsize and full size crossovers that have fared well in reviews. Go here to learn more about the different used Mazda models and reviews.
It doesn’t hurt that Acura is the luxury brand powered by Honda engineering. It should also be noted that Acura is the only luxury brand to squeak into the top ten most reliable car brands. For further reading, read reviews of used Acuras here.
GMC has been building quality pickups, SUVs and crossovers a very long time. Since GMC splits many parts with Chevrolet, repairs aren’t usually too expensive. This is why you’ll see Sierra pickups with miles well into the hundreds of thousands. Read more here for used GMC reviews and research.
It isn’t too surprising Subaru is on this list. According to Polk’s auto data, 95% of Subarus sold in the last ten years are still on the road. Pretty impressive. So are their all wheel drive systems and boxer four cylinder engines. For additional Subaru reading material including Subbie reviews and different models, go here.
Nissan is consistently one of the most Followed brands on Mojo Motors, but they usually aren’t perceived as being one of the most reliable brands on the road. They should be. Nisan vehicles, especially their cars, are among the most reliable shoppers can buy. Learn more about the best Nissan rides and read reviews here.
If you’re a prisoner of the present, you might think Chevrolet is anything but reliable. Ahem. Recalls aside, the last few generations of automobiles built by Chevrolet are their best ever. Especially Chevy pickups, SUVs and crossovers. For reviews and research on a variety of Chevrolet vehicles, keep reading here.
Dodge, like Chevrolet, is known more for their pickup trucks than cars. Thanks to the resale value of a Ram pickup, the brand makes it into the top five of this list. Our advice? Stick to a high mileage Ram pickup or Grand Caravan minivan, the same can’t be said about Dodge cars. Go here for reviews of popular used Dodge cars and trucks.
Unlike other American automakers, say Dodge or Chevrolet, Ford has both reliable trucks AND cars. The Ford Focus compact and Fusion midsize, along with Ford’s lineup of crossovers make them the most reliable American automaker on this list. Having the best-selling vehicle in the country, the F150 pickup truck, doesn’t hurt either. Learn more about used Ford vehicles here.
While Dodge and Chevrolet excel at the big trucks, Honda excels at pretty much everything. Look at the ‘miles until worthless’ stat because Honda and Toyota boast a 10,000 mile lead over Ford. If the average driver puts 12,000 miles a year on their car, that 10,000 mile difference is almost an entire year! For reviews and research on used Honda vehicles, keep reading here.
The public perceives Toyota as one of the most reliable automakers and our study concurs with this perception. While Toyota might not build the most eye-catching cars, they are certainly reliable and efficient. A Lamborghini it is not, but a cost-effective car it most definitely is. Keep reading for reviews, research and pictures of the best used Toyotas.
Please note that while this data is a great way to understand how vehicle prices correlate to reliability, no study of used car reliability and its value is perfect. This is a make-specific study, not a breakdown of models, trims or years. There can be a large variation between each model’s trims and there are many factors that go into the price of a car. Things like color, options, warranties and whether a car is a certified pre owned or not all greatly affect a cars valuation. Our study did not account for these variances.
Today’s Women’s Wednesday is about becoming new leaders in the growing and dynamic market of women consumers.
As competition tightens, the need for exceptional leaders at dealerships couldn’t be greater. Wayne Gretzky, the hockey legend, explained the key to his success, “a good hockey player knows where the puck is – however, a great hockey player knows where the puck is going”.
To be an exceptional leader like Gretzky, a proactive and anticipatory approach is important. Currently, the industry is dynamic, producing great opportunities to differentiate. It is imperative to take strategic risks and be proactive about tapping emerging trends that pertain to women+families.
Did You Know?
1. Women in the U.S. buy 50% of vehicles – about 75,000 a day at new and used car dealerships
2. According to the U.S. Census, over one-third of women out-earn their husbands
3. More and more children are born to single moms
These may seem like just numbers but they are real money-making and business performance boosting statistics for dealers who want to be positioned as the go-to dealerships in their market. How?
1. Recognize Women have the Buying Power: Break from the traditional model and make the store more women+family friendly. Since women are propelling sales, cater effectively to this buying segment by hiring more women sales and service advisors. Hire qualified people that relate and look like your customers for a more comfortable and successful sales experience.
2. The Changing Family: Women are the breadwinners in over one-third of family households. There are many homes with stay at home dads, same gender parents and multiple generations living under one roof. Cater to each potential customer with ultimate respect.
3. Meet Your Customers Where They Are:
a. Problem Solve: As more children are being born to single moms, it is important to know that all parents appreciate a child-play area.
b. A Caring Company: The #1 requested concierge service item from women is an overnight vehicle. This shows you understand the inconvenience of having a car repaired overnight and are willing to go the extra step to do something about it; providing hassle and worry free service.
c. Have women WANT to BE THERE: Have fun services like a boutique fitness and yoga studio with changing area, shower, and rest rooms. (Not everyone wants to sit and watch TV.) How about Play Stations for mom gamers while their car is being serviced? Sound silly? At one time your grocery store simply sold food. Now it has services like banking, café, childcare, dry cleaner, pharmacy, and health and wellness, and other conveniences.
d. Install vending machines with healthy food options and beverages (not just M and M’s & Pepsi) and provide Starbucks coffee and tea. How about a manicurist in the store, part time?
e. Free car wash policy is a winner for you and your customers as they will stop in a lot more frequently – different and more lasting relationships will be created.
f. Engage and Educate: assist customers in getting to to know their new car better with a specialist 1 on 1, or spend time checking out the latest safety+tech features of your top 3 models being featuring this month.
Women visit two dealerships but they buy from just one! What plays are you making to ensure she picks your store? Leadership paired with strategy is a better game than luck in capturing new business.
For more on Leadership and to read about Wayne Gretzky type of Dealers, click here.
Want to Sell More Cars and Distinguish your Dealership to Women? Click here to learn more.
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Whether you are a football fan or not, unless you have been living in a cave you have probably heard a lot about Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow. What Tebow and Manziel have in common is that both are former Heisman Trophy winning college quarterbacks. What they both also have in common is that they are both very much hated and reviled by so many.
From the outside looking in, they are polar opposites in many ways. Tebow is publicly very religious and Manziel is not. Tebow is outwardly extremely humble and Manziel is viewed as being extremely cocky and even arrogant. Tebow apparently lives a very straight arrow life and Manziel has had his share of documented days of partying. Tebow never reacts to his detractors and Manziel seems to give the proverbial middle finger to his. Tebow quotes scripture and Manziel plays rap. Tebow appears humble while Manziel seems to flaunt his ability with a little in your face style.
Manziel and Tebow outwardly opposite in every way but yet both share in common massive doses of venom by the media, coaches, some players and large amounts of the general public. Tebow the humble, virtuous Christian is hated and Manziel the cocky, partying one man show is hated as well. Actually, I am not sure which one seems to be condemned and hated the most. Seems to be a conundrum doesn’t it.
In my opinion, the answer in this does not lie in the characteristics of either Manziel or Tebow or what they do or don’t do. The answer to this conundrum lies with people who are constantly judging others. Often these people judge them but inwardly are wishing they could be more like them. They are not really hating on Manziel or Tebow. Instead, they are expressing their hatred of themselves and their own perceived shortcomings expressed outwardly towards Manziel and Tebow. Haters hate because that is what they do.
Don’t be a hater and stop judging others. Look at yourself and judge yourself. Work on yourself and let others be. Success and happiness is always an inside out job.
