Normally I dislike Vegas. Specifically, I dislike coming to Automotive Conferences here. You see, I come to Conferences to learn, network and garner the newest and best new ideas from both Vendors and my peers. Unfortunately, most of the time what happens is there are so many distractions that people scatter and the chance for meaningful dialogue and idea exchanges are lost. So it was refreshing today as there was a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement in the air as people began to arrive, my Foursquare alerts began to sound like one of the slot machines and the Twitter stream #DSES hash tag came alive.

I began the day with Registration at 10 and quickly moved into the Private Meetings. Dennis Galbraith and Paul Potratz shared great presentations with a Group of Dealers from Canada and then I went across the hall and spoke with Cliff Banks, Charlie Vogelheim and the people from ryantech about the overall state and direction of new technologies and Automotive. If you get the opportunity to mingle with people of that caliber and just listen to the level of insight they can bring through casual conversation, seize it!

Then the fun really began: Founder Jared Hamilton took the stage and in his normal passionate, exuberant fashion shared his passion and vision behind DrivingSales and the Executive Summit. He was followed by Dennis Galbraith with a presentation on Big Data that was astounding. I think my favorite (repeatable) quote was “People learned to shop online on Amazon yet we expect them to start their process differently in searching for a car"…THEY DON’T.

Luke Wroblewski absolutely enthralled and enlightened with his amazing presentation on Mobile and Consumer Behavior. With the data to back it up he showed that mobile will be the strongest of ANY platform within 2-3 years and technologies out now that have mind-numbing application to the way we could interact, Market to, and understand our Customers. He struck a chord when he said “the best way to get people to hear what you’re saying is to listen better”.

Search, Social, Reputation and Location all merge effortlessly on Mobile and if it’s not already part of your strategy you should move NOW. Early adopters will reap exponential returns down the road. Even more intriguing was his theory that by engaging other New Tech proponents, you can gain influence and acceptance by other Innovators and embracers of change. That could reap rewards far beyond the immediate return.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s lineup of Speakers, Contest Presentations and enlightenment.

If you didn’t make it or want to watch again to see if there were any F-bombs dropped this year, I’d bet DrivingSalesTV would have what you need.

If you’re here, tweet me up @bryancarguy so we can meet IRL.

Happy LEARNING

Bryan Armstrong

Normally I dislike Vegas. Specifically, I dislike coming to Automotive Conferences here. You see, I come to Conferences to learn, network and garner the newest and best new ideas from both Vendors and my peers. Unfortunately, most of the time what happens is there are so many distractions that people scatter and the chance for meaningful dialogue and idea exchanges are lost. So it was refreshing today as there was a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement in the air as people began to arrive, my Foursquare alerts began to sound like one of the slot machines and the Twitter stream #DSES hash tag came alive.

I began the day with Registration at 10 and quickly moved into the Private Meetings. Dennis Galbraith and Paul Potratz shared great presentations with a Group of Dealers from Canada and then I went across the hall and spoke with Cliff Banks, Charlie Vogelheim and the people from ryantech about the overall state and direction of new technologies and Automotive. If you get the opportunity to mingle with people of that caliber and just listen to the level of insight they can bring through casual conversation, seize it!

Then the fun really began: Founder Jared Hamilton took the stage and in his normal passionate, exuberant fashion shared his passion and vision behind DrivingSales and the Executive Summit. He was followed by Dennis Galbraith with a presentation on Big Data that was astounding. I think my favorite (repeatable) quote was “People learned to shop online on Amazon yet we expect them to start their process differently in searching for a car"…THEY DON’T.

Luke Wroblewski absolutely enthralled and enlightened with his amazing presentation on Mobile and Consumer Behavior. With the data to back it up he showed that mobile will be the strongest of ANY platform within 2-3 years and technologies out now that have mind-numbing application to the way we could interact, Market to, and understand our Customers. He struck a chord when he said “the best way to get people to hear what you’re saying is to listen better”.

Search, Social, Reputation and Location all merge effortlessly on Mobile and if it’s not already part of your strategy you should move NOW. Early adopters will reap exponential returns down the road. Even more intriguing was his theory that by engaging other New Tech proponents, you can gain influence and acceptance by other Innovators and embracers of change. That could reap rewards far beyond the immediate return.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s lineup of Speakers, Contest Presentations and enlightenment.

If you didn’t make it or want to watch again to see if there were any F-bombs dropped this year, I’d bet DrivingSalesTV would have what you need.

If you’re here, tweet me up @bryancarguy so we can meet IRL.

Happy LEARNING

Bryan Armstrong

I’ve had the opportunity over the years to attend many conferences and workshops and have even been honored to present or be asked to present at most of them. One thing I have learned is it’s always a good idea to go with an objective in mind and the best itinerary to help you bring back value to your Dealership.  After all, this should be approached as work, and not some 20 group junket.

                Most say it’s a good thing to come back with 2-3 implementable ideas, yet with planning you can achieve much more. Just so you can see what I mean here is my personal list of current issues and the sessions I will be attending at D.S.E.S. to find solutions.

1. How can I market more effectively?

Dennis Galbraith is an industry leader in big data and how to effectively utilize it. I plan on taking copious notes.

2. How does the increase in mobile affect our marketing and sales process or should it?

Luke Wroblewski will give great insight into the rise of the hand held dealership.

3. What is the correct mix of AD spending?

Florian Zettelmeyer will explain the economics of the Internet inside today’s dealership.

4. How do we gain more exposure without increasing spending?

Few would debate the prowess of Rand Fishken when it comes to Digital Marketing.

5. How can we increase conversion and sales directly from the net?

David Kain’s workshop on “5 easy steps to internet sales success” will give me an opportunity to measure my current processes against the best in the business.

6. How do we go from appointment setting (reactive) B.D.C. to a Marketing and Retention center for all Departments?

Shaun Weissmann’s session on “Evolving your B.D.C. into a true Business Development and Marketing Dept.” looks to be a perfect fit.

7. How do we monopolize and leverage Social and Search traffic?

Doug Frisbie of Facebook and Kate Balingit of Google on stage together should prove an interesting and enlightening session.

8. What should I do about 3^rd party leads? Are they a necessary evil and what about transparency?

Few have been more embroiled this past year than TrueCar’s Scott Painter. His willingness to take the stage with “no holds-barred” Jared Hamilton should be engaging and relevant.

9. How can I lead more effectively?

Jim Dance will give an overview of good to great companies and how they got there.

10. How can I more effectively utilize e-mail?

With lowering open rates and increasing difficulty in getting past spam filters expect Malinda Terreri and Jeff Kershner will share best practices, templates and processes

11. How do we go from Customer satisfaction to Customer loyalty?

Chris Costner of Southern VW and one of the Nation’s best run BDC’s e-Commerce Director will share his insights.

12. How can we merge traditional and new media more effectively?

For this answer I will look jointly to Gary May – one of the best marketers, and Joe Webb – a process and conversion guru as well as Unmarketing’s Scott Stratten.

*Note Chris, Gary, and Joe have two different sessions in the same time slot. I’ll go to whichever one DrivingSales TV isn’t filming or find a way to split the time.

13. How should we view the Dealer/OEM marketing mix?

Department Head of Marketing for Mini Tom Salkowsky should provide insight.

*Personally I think they need to back us more in the Social sphere.

14. What are the best new products and most innovative processes available today?

Driving sales Innovation Cup brings out the best of the best.

15. What should we be measuring?

Top data users on a panel moderated by Dennis Galbraith should spark some controversy.

Above all go with a plan and a list of objectives and as soon as you get back, prioritize implementable items (I suggest putting them in your outlook) and train others.

If your a G.M. or Dealer principle and go, great, top down buy-in is key. If not and you work for one enlightened enough to send you, take advantage. This is one of the few times that the Trainers have an opportunity to be trained and stay ahead of the pack. Let’s face it, we can’t solve the problems of today and the future by repeating yesterday’s solutions.

See you there!

Good Selling.

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy

I’ve had the opportunity over the years to attend many conferences and workshops and have even been honored to present or be asked to present at most of them. One thing I have learned is it’s always a good idea to go with an objective in mind and the best itinerary to help you bring back value to your Dealership.  After all, this should be approached as work, and not some 20 group junket.

                Most say it’s a good thing to come back with 2-3 implementable ideas, yet with planning you can achieve much more. Just so you can see what I mean here is my personal list of current issues and the sessions I will be attending at D.S.E.S. to find solutions.

1. How can I market more effectively?

Dennis Galbraith is an industry leader in big data and how to effectively utilize it. I plan on taking copious notes.

2. How does the increase in mobile affect our marketing and sales process or should it?

Luke Wroblewski will give great insight into the rise of the hand held dealership.

3. What is the correct mix of AD spending?

Florian Zettelmeyer will explain the economics of the Internet inside today’s dealership.

4. How do we gain more exposure without increasing spending?

Few would debate the prowess of Rand Fishken when it comes to Digital Marketing.

5. How can we increase conversion and sales directly from the net?

David Kain’s workshop on “5 easy steps to internet sales success” will give me an opportunity to measure my current processes against the best in the business.

6. How do we go from appointment setting (reactive) B.D.C. to a Marketing and Retention center for all Departments?

Shaun Weissmann’s session on “Evolving your B.D.C. into a true Business Development and Marketing Dept.” looks to be a perfect fit.

7. How do we monopolize and leverage Social and Search traffic?

Doug Frisbie of Facebook and Kate Balingit of Google on stage together should prove an interesting and enlightening session.

8. What should I do about 3^rd party leads? Are they a necessary evil and what about transparency?

Few have been more embroiled this past year than TrueCar’s Scott Painter. His willingness to take the stage with “no holds-barred” Jared Hamilton should be engaging and relevant.

9. How can I lead more effectively?

Jim Dance will give an overview of good to great companies and how they got there.

10. How can I more effectively utilize e-mail?

With lowering open rates and increasing difficulty in getting past spam filters expect Malinda Terreri and Jeff Kershner will share best practices, templates and processes

11. How do we go from Customer satisfaction to Customer loyalty?

Chris Costner of Southern VW and one of the Nation’s best run BDC’s e-Commerce Director will share his insights.

12. How can we merge traditional and new media more effectively?

For this answer I will look jointly to Gary May – one of the best marketers, and Joe Webb – a process and conversion guru as well as Unmarketing’s Scott Stratten.

*Note Chris, Gary, and Joe have two different sessions in the same time slot. I’ll go to whichever one DrivingSales TV isn’t filming or find a way to split the time.

13. How should we view the Dealer/OEM marketing mix?

Department Head of Marketing for Mini Tom Salkowsky should provide insight.

*Personally I think they need to back us more in the Social sphere.

14. What are the best new products and most innovative processes available today?

Driving sales Innovation Cup brings out the best of the best.

15. What should we be measuring?

Top data users on a panel moderated by Dennis Galbraith should spark some controversy.

Above all go with a plan and a list of objectives and as soon as you get back, prioritize implementable items (I suggest putting them in your outlook) and train others.

If your a G.M. or Dealer principle and go, great, top down buy-in is key. If not and you work for one enlightened enough to send you, take advantage. This is one of the few times that the Trainers have an opportunity to be trained and stay ahead of the pack. Let’s face it, we can’t solve the problems of today and the future by repeating yesterday’s solutions.

See you there!

Good Selling.

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy

The other day I was honored to be visited by my good friend and Industry Professional Micah Birkholz. Now I could share with you here a variety of stories and analogies, from his refreshingly sarcastic posts that make me laugh and think to the reality that two people who met “In Real Life” for the first time already had a well-established bond and friendship built entirely through Social Media, but it was his comment about his t-shirt that inspired me.

You see he had on an “I Yelp” shirt and told me that one day he intended to write an article about it but that I should go ahead and do so if I chose. He then said that he and his wife (who is absolutely gracious and charming) were going shopping. Classic Micah. Who else would wear so brazenly a shirt into a Retail establishment that say’s “I’m going to tell everyone about how I’m treated.”?

Think on this. If you had a Customer walk into your showroom carrying a sign reading “I’ll give you 100% CSI on your insanely worded OEM survey AND I’ll rate you on-line, fan you on Facebook, share your posts with my friends and recommend you to every stranger I meet” either every Salesperson would help them or none would because the Manager would insist on doing so! The reality is, every day you DO have that Customer…you just may not know it.

How many of us bother to ASK our Customers if they participate in Location based Platforms such as Yelp or Foursquare? If they do, ask them to “Check In” as there are sometimes Specials on there that could be worth checking out. You may want to have a Service Special active so the next line could be “See we’re saving you on your New Car and you haven’t even picked it out yet!” If nothing else, showing you’re Socially connected and listening will not harm your sale at this point.

For years we have been told to try and “weed out” if there is another decision maker in the process. Have your Customer post a photo to FB BEFORE they buy asking if the Silver or Black is a better choice? It may back-fire on occasion, but overwhelmingly those people we are connected to in our Social Graph support us and wish us well in our new endeavors, right? Wouldn’t an “Ooooh, I’m so jealous!” post help you close a deal?

Above all, the survivors in this business are going to be those that provide the exemplary Service that merits those reviews, not those that game them. As I and others predicted years ago, Reviews and Social ARE impacting search and conversion. Don’t be afraid to engage your Customer as if they had an insane Klout score, serious Kred, 80,000 Twitter Followers and 5,000 FB friends…After all they might. J

 Doing the right thing for the right reason will always lead you down the right path and the Golden Rule has never steered anyone wrong but if you don’t ask you may not receive.

Happy Selling!

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy

The other day I was honored to be visited by my good friend and Industry Professional Micah Birkholz. Now I could share with you here a variety of stories and analogies, from his refreshingly sarcastic posts that make me laugh and think to the reality that two people who met “In Real Life” for the first time already had a well-established bond and friendship built entirely through Social Media, but it was his comment about his t-shirt that inspired me.

You see he had on an “I Yelp” shirt and told me that one day he intended to write an article about it but that I should go ahead and do so if I chose. He then said that he and his wife (who is absolutely gracious and charming) were going shopping. Classic Micah. Who else would wear so brazenly a shirt into a Retail establishment that say’s “I’m going to tell everyone about how I’m treated.”?

Think on this. If you had a Customer walk into your showroom carrying a sign reading “I’ll give you 100% CSI on your insanely worded OEM survey AND I’ll rate you on-line, fan you on Facebook, share your posts with my friends and recommend you to every stranger I meet” either every Salesperson would help them or none would because the Manager would insist on doing so! The reality is, every day you DO have that Customer…you just may not know it.

How many of us bother to ASK our Customers if they participate in Location based Platforms such as Yelp or Foursquare? If they do, ask them to “Check In” as there are sometimes Specials on there that could be worth checking out. You may want to have a Service Special active so the next line could be “See we’re saving you on your New Car and you haven’t even picked it out yet!” If nothing else, showing you’re Socially connected and listening will not harm your sale at this point.

For years we have been told to try and “weed out” if there is another decision maker in the process. Have your Customer post a photo to FB BEFORE they buy asking if the Silver or Black is a better choice? It may back-fire on occasion, but overwhelmingly those people we are connected to in our Social Graph support us and wish us well in our new endeavors, right? Wouldn’t an “Ooooh, I’m so jealous!” post help you close a deal?

Above all, the survivors in this business are going to be those that provide the exemplary Service that merits those reviews, not those that game them. As I and others predicted years ago, Reviews and Social ARE impacting search and conversion. Don’t be afraid to engage your Customer as if they had an insane Klout score, serious Kred, 80,000 Twitter Followers and 5,000 FB friends…After all they might. J

 Doing the right thing for the right reason will always lead you down the right path and the Golden Rule has never steered anyone wrong but if you don’t ask you may not receive.

Happy Selling!

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy

“History leaves clues” “Those that don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it” “Hindsight is 20/20”. These and other axioms would all have us believe that the only truths and bits of knowledge we can garner from the past are based around the mistakes made and the follies we pursued. While there is definitely merit in these concepts, doesn’t the past also contain positive affirmations that can help us achieve new heights and interact better with our fellow human beings?

Long before Bruce Jenner was known for Kardashian fame, he was considered one of the best athletes to ever grace a field. Michael Jordan, despite his foibles in Baseball will always be considered one of the greatest ever. Tiger Woods will evict images of Championship Golf long before Escalades tearing up a lawn. The name Thomas Jefferson brings to mind a Founding Father rather than a bankrupt slave-owner.

Look at your Sales floor, your peers. Do you see a 20 car guy and treat them as such though this Month they only hit 8? Do you look at the Desk Manager and remember that he exhibited years of sustainable excellence and Leadership to get there or do you snidely think that he just doesn’t “get it” anymore and laugh at all his “Glory Day” stories.

Next time you have a chance, ask each member of your Team what their greatest moment, Month, Deal, C.S.I. moment was. You will literally see each face light up as they recall in themselves that moment and pride they have in the memory. Then with every interaction for the next week address them as such i.e. “What’s our 30 car guy got today?” “How’s Mrs. 100% C.S.I. with 18 Previous Customer referrals so far this year up to?” “Alright 10 pound Desker, let’s make this another Happy Customer!”

Treating others as their best self will often bring that desired behavior about.

This concept and post was inspired by my friend, Mentor and General Manager, Jeff Davis. Any shortcomings in conveying his vision are strictly mine.  

“History leaves clues” “Those that don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it” “Hindsight is 20/20”. These and other axioms would all have us believe that the only truths and bits of knowledge we can garner from the past are based around the mistakes made and the follies we pursued. While there is definitely merit in these concepts, doesn’t the past also contain positive affirmations that can help us achieve new heights and interact better with our fellow human beings?

Long before Bruce Jenner was known for Kardashian fame, he was considered one of the best athletes to ever grace a field. Michael Jordan, despite his foibles in Baseball will always be considered one of the greatest ever. Tiger Woods will evict images of Championship Golf long before Escalades tearing up a lawn. The name Thomas Jefferson brings to mind a Founding Father rather than a bankrupt slave-owner.

Look at your Sales floor, your peers. Do you see a 20 car guy and treat them as such though this Month they only hit 8? Do you look at the Desk Manager and remember that he exhibited years of sustainable excellence and Leadership to get there or do you snidely think that he just doesn’t “get it” anymore and laugh at all his “Glory Day” stories.

Next time you have a chance, ask each member of your Team what their greatest moment, Month, Deal, C.S.I. moment was. You will literally see each face light up as they recall in themselves that moment and pride they have in the memory. Then with every interaction for the next week address them as such i.e. “What’s our 30 car guy got today?” “How’s Mrs. 100% C.S.I. with 18 Previous Customer referrals so far this year up to?” “Alright 10 pound Desker, let’s make this another Happy Customer!”

Treating others as their best self will often bring that desired behavior about.

This concept and post was inspired by my friend, Mentor and General Manager, Jeff Davis. Any shortcomings in conveying his vision are strictly mine.  

One of the greatest challenges we face in this Industry is the attrition of our Service Customers after their warranty period.

When your non-lease Customer’s begin to get the bills and Service recommendations that are Customer Pay items, many will consider trading or start looking at another Brand or local Shop.

One of the most effective ways I have found to combat this is to “Lay-em-Away”.

It works like this:

Every declined Op Code generates a call from either the Service Writer or better yet a BDC Rep. They’ll explain that we want to help and offer to set them up in our V.I.P Program. They’ll then set up their next Service appointment to do the Oil Change as well as the top 2 most important Service recommendations. This cost should be equal to approximately $100. The next appt. is scheduled as well with the same formula used.  By the time the 4^th appointment is completed (assuming a 3,750 interval and 15,000 a year) not only will you have completed that 30,000 service, but the 45,000 as well. The biggest benefit is it’s all at a cost to the Customer of approximately $1 per day, you have their gratitude, maintain loyalty, and they feel cared for rather than preyed upon.

Of course if your smart and you have a Communications Center that communicates well between Service and Sales, the second kept appointment will also include a complimentary surprise “Demo for the Day” and a hang tag on the mirror of their car when they return with what the payments would be on the New under-warranty vehicle they just enjoyed all day would be.

Everyone wants to be a VIP and feel valued and understood.

What are you doing to meet your Customer’s budgetary constraints on the Drive? If it’s only crossing off services or lowering your margins, you’re missing opportunity and gross profit.

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy

One of the greatest challenges we face in this Industry is the attrition of our Service Customers after their warranty period.

When your non-lease Customer’s begin to get the bills and Service recommendations that are Customer Pay items, many will consider trading or start looking at another Brand or local Shop.

One of the most effective ways I have found to combat this is to “Lay-em-Away”.

It works like this:

Every declined Op Code generates a call from either the Service Writer or better yet a BDC Rep. They’ll explain that we want to help and offer to set them up in our V.I.P Program. They’ll then set up their next Service appointment to do the Oil Change as well as the top 2 most important Service recommendations. This cost should be equal to approximately $100. The next appt. is scheduled as well with the same formula used.  By the time the 4^th appointment is completed (assuming a 3,750 interval and 15,000 a year) not only will you have completed that 30,000 service, but the 45,000 as well. The biggest benefit is it’s all at a cost to the Customer of approximately $1 per day, you have their gratitude, maintain loyalty, and they feel cared for rather than preyed upon.

Of course if your smart and you have a Communications Center that communicates well between Service and Sales, the second kept appointment will also include a complimentary surprise “Demo for the Day” and a hang tag on the mirror of their car when they return with what the payments would be on the New under-warranty vehicle they just enjoyed all day would be.

Everyone wants to be a VIP and feel valued and understood.

What are you doing to meet your Customer’s budgetary constraints on the Drive? If it’s only crossing off services or lowering your margins, you’re missing opportunity and gross profit.

Bryan Armstrong

@bryancarguy