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What is your process for handling Trade-In Leads?

I don't know if anyone feels the same way about Trade-In Leads, but I think they are amazing (other than your own website leads of course)! They give you an opportunity to assist people by addressing concerns about their current vehicle rather than complete focus on their replacement vehicle. As we all know, when we receive a new or used car lead from our website or 3rd Party Lead Provider, the main objections we receive are Price, Availability, Convenience, Better way of doing business, or just Researching online at this time. When we receive Trade-In Leads this gives us an opportunity to build value and establish a relationship with our customer's by pacing the conversation about the customers vehicle rather than sole focus on the replacement vehicle. Typically if a customer does a trade in lead, there primary concern is wondering how much they will receive for there vehicle, because they want to receive "top-dollar" for there's and pay "bottom-dollar" for ours right! Well here is what is so great about trade-ins, by building value on how important there vehicle is to your lot regardless if they by a vehicle from you or not is what will set you apart. Asking series of questions like: Where did you purchase this vehicle? Was it new or used? How would you rate the overall comfort of your vehicle? What was the primary use of your vehicle? What did you like most about your vehicle? How would you rate the exterior of your vehicle on a scale of 1-10? And the list could go on and on! You can really have fun with these leads and build some good rapport with your customers. Another good practice is to tell the customer your process for evaluating trades. If a customer from 100-200 miles away says why should I consider trading at your dealership? Then you should respond with a thorough process that separates you from your competition.

I am sure most of us would agree that we would rather trade for a vehicle with a customer story behind it than to purchase at auction. With more and more customers selling their own vehicles via ebay, craigslist, and other 3rd Party Providers, you must be ready to explain to them why trading with your dealership is better than selling it themselves.

OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IDEA: Grab your Flip-Cam! Try this if you have not already, maybe have some of your customers that trade-in there current vehicle and purchase there replacement vehicle not only do a Video Testimonial but also have them do a Walk-Around on the vehicle they traded in! This gives your new customers that are interested in this particular trade-in the absolute best source, the previous owner! Let your previous owners sell the vehicles value for you, it's well worth the try. We all know how powerful Video can be!

I would like to personally thank Sean Bradley and Andy Fedo on this subject, because by role playing and "synergizing"(not a real word I don't think but great for this website) with each other they were able to help me realize how important it is to really address concerns and expectations about the customers current vehicle rather than sole interest on there purchase request. Sean and Andy also helped me realize how important it will be to make a check-sheet for these leads and train, drill, and rehearse this with the Internet Sales Coordinators and the entire dealership.

All in all, have fun with your trade in leads; build relationship and value by learning more about their vehicle. My suggestions for great providers of these leads would be Autotrader.com Trade In Marketplace, BlackBook, or KBB. If I can offer any assistance to you or if you would like to throw some suggestions my way then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Good Selling

Durran Cage

Internet Sales Director

Gary Mathews of Jackson

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Yep, He Said...See Me First!

This week I stumbled upon a priceless video of a Cal Worthington TV commercial from 1979. He’s infamous here in Southern California and I’ve never met a better car dealer than Calvin Coolidge Worthington. He knew instinctively how to draw people into his store. You wanted to go there just to see him and ‘his dog Spot’. Heck, watching this video made me want to go down to the dealership right now and pick his brain. Even though it’s 30 years ago, his tactics are sublime:
  • He offered helpful gifts just for stoppin’ by, “I got a whole bunch of goodies for ya”. A locking gas cap, an umbrella hat to keep the sun off your head.
  • “Don’t drive around burnin’ your gas, burn mine! I’ll give you 10 gallons just for droppin by to say hello”
  • “You don’t have to buy the car from me…just see me first!”
  • “I know I’ve got the car you’re lookin for, I think I can save you a gang of money!”
  • “Here’s where your friends are, here’s where the bargains are!”
  • “I’ve been here 30 years so come by for Service or another car, I ain’t goin no place!”

As I heard him saying these things, it struck me how much like Social Media his approach was. If these were said on Twitter and Facebook today, you’d want to go down there…even if you’re not in the market for a new car. His tactics were all about getting you into the store. He created a lead through an idea, a story, and that’s what any advertising campaign is about.


Popular author and marketing expert, Seth Godin says “Reminding the consumer of a story they know and trust is a powerful shortcut.” Cal’s genius was that he could communicate that story by just walking around the lot with a camera on him. If today’s dealerships can create their own story–and there are many stories to be told everyday–the shortcut will be conveying that message through Social Media. Create a reason for someone to want to buy their car from you,
amplify it through your Social Media network and the leads will come in faster than you can say “See Me First!”

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Are you doing EVERYTHING you can with your leads?!?

Marsha, you truly made my day yesterday and I'm so glad you shared your story on the AIS Website. Thank you all for your feedback and involvement in the Website. We truly do love hearing from you, and your experiences, and hopefully you love hearing from us here at Dealer Synergy just as much! :)

The beautiful part about our jobs in Automotive Internet Sales is that the sky is the limit, and we always have room for improvement. We are constantly looking for new ways and techniques to get our numbers up, and make MORE MONEY. So what can we do to get better results OTHER than simply get more leads?

Well, let's think outside the box and work a little bit smarter with the leads we DO have.

1) Snail mail
Yes, I did just say it! With all of our technology these days, sometimes we forget to drop a nice hand-written letter in the mail, thanking our customer for their opportunity to earn their business. That's what they use to do in the "dinosaur age" of car sales. Include a voucher, discount card or "free gift with test drive" insert in your card, and this may drive traffic with a different sort of person that is not very savvy with the computer, but did manage to submit a lead to you and show interest. Be sure to include instruction to “bring this letter with you” somewhere in your mailing so you can track results.

2) Send a friend
Everyone needs extra holiday spending money this time of year. Another insert in your mailer - or in your phone call or your email - may remind them that even if they are not ready to buy, if they know a co-worker, friend or family member that is looking to purchase a vehicle, they will get a bonus. Check with management to see if and how much of a referral fee you can offer, which varies by state and dealership. If you can't give a cash reward, you can find a way to reward your prospects with a gift card or something acceptable for thinking of you even before they were ready to buy themselves. It may even help you close your original lead later down the road!

3) Previous customers
Unless you are completely brand new to the business, you have some "SOLD" customers from last month, the month before, etc. Well, CALL THEM! When you call them to say hello, make sure that they love their car, remind them an oil change may be due soon and wish them a happy holiday season; happen to mention your referral bonus, too. Don't make it sound like you are only calling for a deal. Be courteous and sincere in caring about their purchase, and wanting them to do service with your dealer, and I bet more than half of the people you have already done business with, when asked, would be happy to recommend at least one friend that you can reach out to and offer an appointment to come see you.

Make sure you have a plan to review your leads and retain your customers for life! Get into a habit at the end of the month grind, or your beginning of the month re-group to do these things that may be able to produce you a few deals, and all you are doing is working the same leads a little harder that are right there in front of you all along!

Happy selling...and always be closing!

Andy Fedo
andy@dealersynergy.com
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BIG THANKS goes out to "ANDY" with Dealersynergy

Thanks to Andy and his Amazing Rebuttals he send us here at Gary Mathews of Jackson I set the appointment!!!!

The customer explained that the economy has given them a few "bumps and brusies" and they didn't have perfect credit but I assured him that here at Gary Mathews of Jackson we have 50 different lenders that will give them a fresh start!!! and I sold the appointment

Thank you

Marsha Luther

Internet Coordinator

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FacebookAutomotive.com - Facebook Fans Name Their Own Price On Over 4,000 Vehicles

Jeff Gordon Chevy & DealADaySuperstore.com unveil the first Dealer facebook page that allows fans to name their own price through a revolutionary Price Reduction Feature.

500 million people all around the world are actively using facebook to stay connected with their friends and the people around them. Until recently, it's been a challenge for consumers to shop for and purchase goods and services through facebook.

When Jeff Gordon Chevrolet launched FacebookAutomotive.com, they quickly realized it was exactly what consumers had been waiting for.

"With our new interactive facebook page, our customers are able to browse thousands of vehicles and make an offer on the exact vehicle they've been looking for." said Jeff Gordon Chevrolet's Marketing Manager Mark Santilli. " We've also added a Price Reduction feature that allows shoppers to save thousands of dollars off their purchase price. We are dedicated to making the Internet Buying Experience fast, easy and hassle free. Listening and then responding to the needs of our customers is why we're the GM Certified Used Sales Leader for 8 consecutive years and a GM Dealer Of The Year Award Winner".

Don't live near Jeff Gordon Chevrolet? No problem, we can arrange hassle free delivery right to your front door with our Exclusive Door To Door Delivery Program


Jeff Gordon Chevrolet is a proud member of the Hendrick Automotive Group. Shop 500 GM Certified Used Vehicles and over 3,500 Hendrick Certified Used Vehicles at JeffGordonChevy.com

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http://www.internetsales20group.com
http://www.dealersynergy.com
Dealer Principal of Perruzzi Toyota, Bill Finocchiaro and a 5 year Dealer Synergy client is interviewed by Automotive Internet Sales about his Internet Department & Dealership
Bill Finocchiaro is the Dealer Principal of Peruzzi Toyota and a 5 year Dealer Synergy client!
Dealer Synergy is proud to share in the success of Bill & Peruzzi Toyota... from 15 units a month online to now OVER 100+ units ONLINE and 84% of their dealership's leads come from ONLINE!!!!

Congrats and Thank You Bill!
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Johnstown Used Cars

To sell Johnstown Used Cars you are competing with a great number of negative regional factors.

1. Numerous direct Johnstown Used Car competitors (like a big city)
2. Small Town Price Haggling Mentality
3. Johnstown Used Car dealers have a bad reputation with public
4. We moved Locations which has endangered us of losing some customer base and being seen as the newcomers in our new location

How do you combat things like this in such a short period of time that they become as least costly as possible?

We have successfully been competing in this market because of a few great advantages that we offer. As a part of the Thomas Automotive Family we've been in business for over 100 years, everyday improving for the car consumer. We offer the best in programs for our consumer. Programs like our 4+ year warranty reimbursement, where you can buy a used car extended warranty that is 4 years or more and if you never need it we will refund you the value of the warranty.

Another program is our No Pressure Sales Environment. Changing the public outlook on the car industry is no easy task but this great program takes on that challenge. Involved in this program is the fact that we pay our sales people a salary, so they don't feel the need to pressure our customers into buying a car that doesn't fit their needs just to make ends meet. Inside this program is built in our No Haggle, Market Pricing. We give you the best deal upfront so there is no need for the consumer to argue with another adult over what is fair.

The Thomas Rewards Card program is a loyalty program that is very popular with our consumer. We give you 10% back on every dollar you spend at our dealership. For example, keep bringing your car to be serviced at our dealership and build up your rewards dollar value up to $500 then just take that off the price of your next new or used vehicle. What a great deal!

Finally, and our favorite, is that we give back to the community here at Thomas Team Honda. We give to many charities and even have charity car cruises that help children and families in our area. We extended our hand to the less fortunate in our community and we hope that this type of business sense expands around the area.

Let us know if there is more we could be doing as, like I said, we strive everyday to get better. We'd love to hear from you. Visit our website hyperlinked at the top of this post or just give me an email at drobertson@thomasdealerships.com
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Every year, people start lining up on Wednesday to take advantage of $3 appliances and $1DVDs, 80% off electronics and deeply discounted appliances. I know that I comb the mail Sunday, looking for deals that can't-be-beat. If you plan on playing the Black Friday game and don't utilize direct mail, you are missing out. It gives you the perfect opportunity to showcase your deals and your merchandise; don't worry about being lost in the crowd. Focus on designing a unique piece and your mailer can be the difference between boom or bust. Check out www.blackfriday2010.com to further understand why mailers are so critical to Black Friday success; these blogs are scanning in your mailer for people so that they know what your deal is. No mailer = no awareness. However, in times where information flows freely, your mailer has an even bigger impact than the audience you targeted. It's just another example of direct mail's added value.


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Make Excuses.....or Make MONEY!!


First of all I would like to congratulate Willis GM in Smyrna, Del. for not only being the AIS dealership of the month, but also for sending in one of the best testimonials I've ever seen in my 10 years in the car business! I must say hats off to the whole crew; and it truly is a pleasure working
with your dealership!


If you missed the bus on having a GREAT November, I hope you wake up before it's too late to have a good December and to end the year with a BANG!

At this time of the year, not everyone has fallen into "holiday mode" and some dealerships are really ramping it up for the season! It's very easy for us to blame the holidays on having a bad last two months of the year. Yes, it's true that Thanksgiving, as well as all the December holidays, fall towards the end of their months respectively. Traditionally - and people that have been in the business for awhile know - we try to get as many deals as we possibly can the first two to three weeks of the month, just in case our numbers aren't what we hope towards the end of the month. However, let's face the facts about the general public/consumer:

- People have saved all year for "this time of the year"
- People are out spending money much "more freely" than usual
- Perception is that the "best deals of the year" are made NOW.

Let's also face some "dealership" facts:

- Dealers are trying to make month-end quotas
- Dealers are trying to make YEAR-end quotas
- There is a lot of OEM bonus money when dealerships hit their goals
-Salespeople that are certified through their franchises, such as Chrysler 5 Star, or Gold certified salespeople, are also trying to hit their goals with units sold to maintain their status and maybe
boost their CSI grades as well.

Bottom line: Let's get some of that spending money into our dealership! We are going to do everything we can as a dealership to make a deal! It's up to you to make sure our potential customers know that!

Wehave to make perception a reality through the phone, and in the showroom, that the BEST deals are in fact made NOW! This is not a myth!
Some dealers will even LOSE money to sell you a car, because it could mean tens of thousands of bonus dollars or incentive money from our manufacturers. I have watched the owner of a dealership that I previously worked at actually lose over $2,000 to make a deal. You say how? That particular deal, made on the last day of the month, was the number 30 new car for the month, and we hit our OEM goal and got $1,000/copy for EVERY new car we sold that month.
Yea, YOU DO THE MATH! It actually MADE the dealership $28,000, but the important thing was that our customer that was in the right place at the right time got the deal of a lifetime.

Moral of the story: We can sit around and blame the holidays for not being busy, or we can create urgency and relay to our customers that this is in fact the best time to buy a car. I guarantee if you get excited and make sure your customer knows that they will miss out if they wait, you will have a nice bonus check! Or, you can just except that they are going to wait "until the New Year" or "when I get my tax return," has anyone heard that one before?

-Andy Fedo
andy@dealersynergy.com
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Dealers: You're On Facebook...Now What?

Dealerships are jumping into Social Media and I’m excited. But who’s going to manage the beast? Back when the Internet was emerging, dealers or GM’s would assign someone in the store to handle it ‘in their spare time’. I was one of those. Today, dealers should be cautious
using this same tactic for Social Media. As we found out with the Internet, Social Media is not a fad that will be gone in a few years. 75% of adult internet users are on Social Media (Nielsen, June 2010).

A few years ago, I was working at a Japanese high-line store and we took in a Porsche 911 on trade with the engine light on. We sent it through the Service Dept for Recon. They were able to get the engine light to go out (although I never knew exactly how) and we put the car
on the front line for sale. A buyer came in that weekend and purchased the car. Two days later, it came back on a flat-bed. Why? The engine had seized because it had no oil. In an effort to save money on the Recon, we let our Japanese-trained technicians work on it. Had it gone to the Porsche dealer a few blocks away, we might have saved the car. Instead, we had to put a $10K engine in it.


Letting just anyone ‘do’ Social Media is risky business. Social Media is much more than setting up a Facebook page, uploading YouTube videos and broadcasting Tweets. Most dealerships set up a profile on Facebook and notice that there are many more things on the to-do list. Pretty soon, interest wanes because they find out it’s harder than it looks to create valuable content every day. Who then is best suited to handle the dealership’s online campaigns?


CHOOSE WISELY


If you have employee that can free up the time and has the knowledge on how to use the Social Media tools, it might seem like an easy solution. So did sending the Porsche to our Service Dept. If you have an employee who knows how to use Facebook or Twitter, chances are they know how to use these tools for personal reasons. Engaging the online customer (Marketing), generating leads (Advertising) and building your store’s online reputation (Public Relations) is perhaps asking more of that employee than they are capable of.


Collaboration with a talented strategist is necessary to achieve your dealership’s goals with Social Media. Experts provide training and guidance to acclimate you and your staff to the process of engaging your online buyer. You’ll find that engaging a Social Media specialist not
only costs less but it will quickly bring in leads you never knew existed.

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This morning, when my alarm went off expectedly early, I woke up and read my email. (FYI: the secret to being a morning person when you aren’t a morning person is to set your alarm earlier than you wake up and snooze it repeatedly until you actually need to wake up. Tricks the mind. You can thank me later.) Because I’m most likely addicted to the internet, I simply can’t get my day started off right without laying there in bed and reading any emails that appeared during the night. Groupon? Hated it today but that doesn’t matter. Bloomies is having a sale on bedding (yes!) and Kate Spade has a new jewelery line. All those retail tidbits get tucked away for later. I’m totally buying this Kate Spade bangle tonight, but that’s a different story. http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10776447&c... Sometimes, my inbox contains work information, and then I know what to do right when I get to work. I can schedule my day based on any 4:30a email emergencies, or non-emergencies. Before my feet hit the floor out of my bed, I feel totally prepared for my day. I also have one more habit through the day. When I get home from work, I check the mail. I scowl at any bills, tuck away any coupons, get really excited about any invitations, flip through any catalogs. I look at each piece, evaluate it, and put it in the right place. Bills and coupons on their own fridge clip, invitations get an individual magnet, catalogs on the coffee table. There’s a system, people.At this point, you are probably asking yourself, “Who cares? Seriously, MacKenzie…. You read your email on your phone before you ever get up? Weird.” However, as a marketer, you really should care. Am I your customer? Because Kate Spade and Anthropologie have me down to a science. Kate Spade finds me over email and on Facebook every morning.Anthropologie finds me by email and Facebook in the morning and catalogs at night (PS: If you are a girl and don’t get the Anthropologie catalog, sign up for one IMMEDIATELY. It’s like a pretty clothes explosion.) They have dialed into my buyer behavior and invested in the mediums — read: social media and direct mail — that are effective for their target audience. I doubt I will ever see an Anthropologie tv commercial. They only speak to me through direct communication, and it’s working.The good news for marketers is that these mediums are relatively inexpensive, it’s easy to track your success, and a great way to speak directly to your customer. You can’t go to every prospect’s home and show them your perfect little bangle. But you can access them through their habits. Make those habits count. I have habits that include mass mediachannels, but the message isn’t tailored to my specific tastes. No one talks back to me, like they on a Facebook Wall or on Twitter. If you are ignoring these direct communication segments, then you are ignoring buyer behavior that very well may be critical to your success or failure. Make an investment in these mediums. (and, shameless plug, TaCito happens to be a good firm to go with. Just saying.)
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http://www.internetsales20group.com

Interview with Whitney Willis Snow - Internet Director of Willis GM & Winner of AIS's "Dealership of the Month" Award December 2010

(READ the FULL Interview UNDER the IMAGE :)

Automotive Internet Sales “Dealership of the Month” goes to…

Willis Automotive of Smyrna Delaware

Willis Automotive of Smyrna Delaware are killing it on the Internet! They literally rose from the ashes and turned their organization around in some dark times. Willis Automotive of Smyrna is part of the Willis Automotive dealer group. They have 3 stores, Willis Automotive of Smyrna, Willis Ford and Willis Automotive of Middletown. They started their Internet initiative about a year and a half ago, right in the middle of the automotive collapse. As a matter of fact, they were one of the GM dealerships to get a letter. They lost their Chevrolet Franchise in Middletown Delaware. But this group did not let the economy beat them. They regrouped and created a NEW strategy and persevered through difficult times and are now set to reap all of the rewards from all of their hard work and tenacity. We are going to interview the Internet Director, Whitney Willis Snow-

AIS- First off, congratulations Whitney to you and your team! You just closed November 2010 with 48 units! That is AMAZING. You went from 5 units on the Internet and losing a franchise to 48 units and almost $100,000 GROSS in 30 days! I am so proud of you and very excited to share in your success.

WWS – Thank you, but it is a huge team effort. I am blessed to work with such an amazing group of people.

AIS – Whitney, your full name is Whitney Willis Snow… So, I am assuming you are an owner…?

WWS – We have a family business for over 60 years now… My mother, father, uncle, brothers etc… This is literally a family business. A small dealer group with 3 stores. I am the Internet Director and the youngest of the family in the business.

AIS – Tell us about the organization…

WWS – Simple, we are a family owned dealership with a ton of integrity. As I mentioned we have been in business for 6 decades and are very active in our community. Our reputation is everything to our family. How we treat our people… not just or prospects or clients, but how we treat our employees and each other. We strive to do the absolute best we can possibly do each and every day.

AIS – How were you engaging the Internet?

WWS – Not very much at all… We didn’t really have a strategy, no real dedication or commitment to the Internet as a “department”. As a matter of fact, when I first started working the Internet at our dealership I would simply email the prospect back once and then “hand over the lead to a salesman”.

AIS – Ok, what changed and why…?

WWS -We decided to actually build a “real” department with a strategy, focus and put resources behind it.We hired Dealer Synergy to assist us in creating the Internet Sales strategy and Standard Operating Procedures. We hired a new web design company to re-design our dealership website. We then focused on driving a lot more traffic to the dealership organically with SEO, VSEO and Social Media as well as buying leads from 3rd party providers.

AIS- What was the most challenging thing for you and the fledgling department?

WWS – That is easy… “Teaching an old dog new tricks” LOL! No, seriously… getting this accepted by the showroom floor and the sales managers. It was VERY difficult in the beginning. We had so many people that were pessimistic, resistant, non-cooperative even to the point where we felt like people were purposely trying to sabotage the department. It was crazy! I felt like, here we were, dumping a ton of resources trying to grow the business and help everyone… from salesmen to managers, but there were people that felt like we were taking away from them, or that they knew how to do things better.

AIS – How is that possible?

WWS – As I mentioned, this is a family owned dealership. Our staff has been here for a very long time. We don’t have a lot of turn over. Everyone just needs to realize to get a bigger “piece of the pie”, the “whole pie” needs to grow! We are all working towards the same goal!

AIS –What happened with the Middletown store?

WWS – Bottom line is during the whole automotive economic collapse GM sent us a letter and we lost one of our Chevrolet points. It was very hard because we have been in business for such a long time. But we decided not to shut down the dealership, we turned it into a Pre-Owned and NAPA Car Care Dealership.

AIS – How has the Internet affected your dealership business?

WWS – Point Blank… the new Internet Department SAVED us from losing our business. NO Exaggeration… The units we have been selling out of the Internet Department kept the doors open.I don’t think we could have survived the automotive economic situation without our Internet Department. We have increased internet volume and gross each month. As a matter of fact we have also increased the dealership’s total volume of sales as well as the dealership’s total gross profit.

AIS- How is everyone at the store now a days with the department…?

WWS- MUCH BETTER… there is a lot of more communication, a lot more appreciation for the department and a lot more respect for not only the department but for all of the team members in our department.

AIS- How many people are in your department?

WWS –There are 4 Internet Sales Coordinators (Phone Ninjas / Appointment Setters), my Assistant Director, and myself for a total of 6 people in the department.

AIS – What are the biggest challenges for your team?

WWS – The same, I’m sure, as all internet departments… handling people J dealing with price, objections in general, attitudes, etc…

AIS – Any advice?

WWS- Absolutely… be prepared. We have a plan of action for EVERYTHING. Phone Process, Email process… objections and rebuttals and of course “What If” process… What if this happens, what if that happens… what if, what if, what if… you have to be prepared for everything and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Sharpen the saw. That is why we are part of the Internet Sales 20 Group (www.internetsales20group.com) and very active on www.automotiveinternetsales.com

AIS – Yes, you are! Congrats on winning the Dealership Video Testimonial!! That was AWESOME!!

Anything else you would like to add to the readers?

WWS- Yes… Don’t let ANYONE tell you that you can’t do something! Don’t let ANYONE discourage you from your goal/mission. You can do anything you put your mind too!

** Also, if anyone wants to call me directly for any advice or questions, it would be my pleasure. I believe in Synergy and in the whole Internet Sales 20 group concept. With that being said, if you HAVE any IDEAS or resources that you think are worthwhile that can help me to continue growing my department…PLEASE feel free to contact me and let me know!

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http://www.internetsales20group.com

AutoTrader.com Agrees to Purchase Auto Inventory Solutions Leader HomeNet Automotive

ATLANTA and WEST CHESTER, Pa., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoTrader.com, the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website, has agreed to purchase HomeNet Automotive, a leading provider of online inventory management and merchandising solutions.

The purchase is expected to close by the end of the year.

The addition of HomeNet to the AutoTrader.com family of companies and brands provides AutoTrader.com with a best-in-class inventory management solution for the thousands of auto dealers who use AutoTrader.com to present their inventory of new, used and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles to online vehicle shoppers.

Founded in 1996, HomeNet's proprietary "Get. Edit. Deliver" technology has helped thousands of automotive dealers nationwide generate a high volume of leads and increase online vehicle sales. HomeNet's signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) vehicle marketing suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system.

AutoTrader.com's purchase of HomeNet will bring a variety of benefits to dealers who post vehicles for sale on AutoTrader.com and to car shoppers who use AutoTrader.com to research and compare vehicles, find dealer specials, review inventory of cars for sale and select dealerships to visit.

For dealers, incorporating HomeNet's proprietary inventory management system into AutoTrader.com's dealer tools will allow for easier and faster inventory management and merchandising online. Dealers will be able to upload their listings faster, make updates and adjustments to their listings more easily and overall enjoy more flexibility and control in presenting their inventory for sale on AutoTrader.com.

Consumers shopping for vehicles on AutoTrader.com will have access to better vehicle information, enhanced listings that include more photos and dealer comments, advanced search capabilities and more frequent updates and information about the cars they are shopping for and researching.

The agreement to purchase HomeNet is the third in a series of acquisitions AutoTrader.com has announced in recent months. In September, AutoTrader.com announced the purchase of vAuto, the automotive retail industry's leading provider of advanced software tools for used vehicle management, pricing and inventory optimization. Then, in October, AutoTrader.com announced its planned acquisition of Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com), one of the most recognized and influential brands in the automotive industry.

"We are always looking for opportunities to grow our company, organically or through acquisitions, in ways that will make AutoTrader.com even more valuable to the auto manufacturers and dealers who advertise on our site and to the 15-million-plus consumers who shop for vehicles on our site every month," said AutoTrader.com President and CEO Chip Perry. "We were fortunate to be in a position to purchase vAuto and to agree to purchase Kelley Blue Book and HomeNet when these companies came available and we are excited about the value our combined companies can bring to the very competitive automotive shopping and marketing industries."

AutoTrader.com plans to operate HomeNet as an independent subsidiary.

Bob Landers, a 10-year AutoTrader.com veteran sales executive who was formerly vice president for AutoTrader.com's Southeast division, has been appointed general manager and vice president of HomeNet. He will be the top executive at the company, replacing founder and former president and CEO Jesse Biter. Landers will work directly with other leaders at HomeNet and be responsible for day-to-day operations and long-term growth at HomeNet.

About HomeNet Automotive, LLC: HomeNet Automotive helps the automobile industry save time and sell more vehicles. It is the leading provider of inventory merchandising, management, and marketing solutions, led by its flagship product, Inventory Online (IOL) Internet Marketing Suite. IOL is a web-based vehicle marketing solution that helps tens of thousands of automotive dealers to engage buyers online and bring them into the showroom by streamlining the process of converting raw vehicle data into consumer-friendly and emotional online ads. For more information, please email sales@homenetauto.com, visit http://www.homenetauto.com, or call (877) 738-3313

About AutoTrader.com

Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates two other auto marketing brands, AutoTraderClassics.com and AutoTraderLatino.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.


SOURCE AutoTrader.com

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More Questions from the new guy!

Ok guys this is a quick one I think. Are there any sights devoted to salesperson satisfaction? We all know how much traction sites like dealerrater are getting, I am just curious about the salesperson aspect of it.

Using myself as an example I have been with the same dealership for over 9 years and have some good testimonials on dealerrater, However I believe they belong to my current dealer. I am moving over 2 hours away to live closer to my wifes family. I do not wish to harm my current employer, but would love to have the testimonies on my service to help me gain future clientele. any suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

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Polk scoring

Good morning everyone!

I am in the process of breaking down all our Ecommerce department does and explanations of all the intricities to our corporate executives. One item I am struggeling to come up with a clear definition that is easy for them to understand is on explaining Polk Scoring. I breifly checked the net and didnt find anything that I felt would help me. Anyone have a good explanation? I think I am trying to OVER explain it.

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Speaking Fluent Social Media

My first job in the car business was working for this crazy family who owned 2 dealerships. The patriarch of the family had immigrated from Europe and loved talking to his customers. He would turn on the “Swiss Country Gentleman” shtick and they would eat it up like ugly girls asked to the Prom. He even had commercials on late-night local TVusing the same persona telling everyone that “Our salesmen don’t work on commission”. This brought a lot of people into the store and they all drove away with a smile.

This dealer had his kids helping him run the dealership. One was the Sales Manager, one the Service Manager and the youngest did deliveries for the Office. This was the juggernaut running this enterprise. They all spoke Swiss to each other…all the time…in front of customers and, ofcourse, the employees. Their saving grace was their take-no-prisoners Controller. He made sense of things, especially when the family would fight, and he made sure all the numbers landed where they needed to be.


My point here is that when management is speaking a different language, how can your staff bring their best game? Shouldn’t all the players be playing from the same Playbook to increase sales? The same applies to Social Media campaigns today at dealerships. Management decides to set up profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Yelp without a strategy that includes grassroots employee participation. Merely having Social Media in place doesn’t guarantee that staff will understand it and incorporate it into their daily jobs.


To better foster and manage Social Media, educate and develop everyone in the store. Make sure they’re speaking the same language. Take steps to engage employees and customers so they can easily collaborate with each other. Whether it’s the Salesperson asking the customer to give a short video testimonial at delivery or the Service Advisor reminding his loyal customers to ‘Love us on Yelp’, dealership Social Media marketing doesn’t work without each staff member’s buy-in and daily involvement.


In Social Media, your employees are the players who move it from a marketing campaign to having a conversation with your customers. Are they speaking the language of increasing sales?

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