WALTHAM, Mass.  – October 15, 2013 - DealerRater, the world’s premier car dealer review web site, today announced the launch of its new Certified Service Center Program.  Recent studies show that online searches for auto repair and maintenance have grown 66 percent in the past three years, and have even surpassed growth in car and truck searches by eight percent in the past year alone. DealerRater’s Certified Service Center Program enables auto dealers to boost the visibility of their service center and grow their service business with a suite of tools featuring a unique Service Center Review Page packed with service-specific information, such as amenities, hours, photos, top-reviewed service employees, as well as special offers and coupons.

“With the jump in online searches for auto maintenance and repairs, dealers need to differentiate their service business from independent service centers as well as local dealership competitors,” said Chip Grueter, president at DealerRater.  “We’ve carefully designed our new Certified Service Center pages to provide dealerships with critical customer connection points – like service scheduling and special offers – while also benefiting from priority placement in service center searches on our site and improved SEO for key auto repair search terms.”  

Key highlights of Certified Service Center include:

Enhanced and Unique Service Center Review Page: Comprehensive review page displays service center information such as amenities and hours, photos and top-reviewed service employees. Enables dealers to gain enhanced visibility for their service business and highlight differentiators, so in-market shoppers choose them.

Premium Review Page Ad Placement:  Enables exclusive ad placement of the dealership’s display ad on their own Service Center Review page. Helps more effectively brand dealership’s service business to in-market consumers.

Service Appointment Requests:  Enables the dealerships to receive online service appointment requests and book more service appointments online.

Special Offers & Coupons: Enables the display of service-related special offers and coupons on the dealer’s Service Center Review page so as to attract more service customers with enticing coupons and special offers.

Priority Placement on Search Results: Provides top placement on DealerRater service center search results pages. In-market consumers will see the dealer’s Service Center first when searching for service in their local area.

Service Employees Highlighted:  Displays top-reviewed service employees and associated reviews on dealership’s own Service Center review page.   Dealers can promote their excellent service staff for a competitive edge with employee reviews, bios, testimonials, photos and videos.

Improved SEO:  Helps boost search engine optimization results for a dealer’s service business and ensures in-market consumers find the dealership when searching for auto maintenance and repair online.

DealerRater Car Recall Page Links: Enables direct links to the dealer’s Service Center review page from DealerRater’s popular car recall pages, providing additional visibility for a dealership’s service business and service reviews.

Service-Specific Point-of-Sale Tools: Includes tools such as service reminder window clings, invoice stickers and service rating cards to encourage customers to write service reviews.  Helps dealerships increase their total service review count and gets customers talking about the service department.

Certified Service Seal:  A unique DealerRater seal differentiates the dealership from local competition by indicating participation in the Certified Service Center Program.

For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com, or call 800-266-9455.

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About DealerRater:

DealerRater was founded in 2002 as the first car dealer review website worldwide.  DealerRater is the world’s #1 online resource for anyone seeking trusted third-party information on automobile dealerships.   DealerRater features nearly 41,000 U.S. and Canadian car dealers, more than 1,200,000 consumer reviews and over 1 million cars for sale.  DealerRater attracts more than 9.5 million consumers every year who visit the site to search for car dealerships, read reviews, write their own descriptive reviews, and find car deals – all for free. 

In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web.  Today, more than 4,900 dealers are members of the award-winning DealerRater® Certified Dealer Program.  DealerRater is proud to have earned the #137 position on the 2012 Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.  DealerRater was also recently awarded a Technology Leadership Award from Dealer Marketing Magazine and a “Top Rated” Reputation Management award in the fourth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.

In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web.  Today, more than 4,900 dealers are members of the award-winning DealerRater® Certified Dealer Program.  DealerRater is proud to have earned the #137 position on the 2012 Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.  DealerRater was also recently awarded a Technology Leadership Award from Dealer Marketing Magazine and a “Top Rated” Reputation Management award in the fourth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.

Booth #326, Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition

Fort Lauderdale, FL – October 14th, 2013 — AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions (www.AutoUSADealers.com) today announced that Nielsen Auto Group is achieving better closing rates and lower cost-per-sale on leads generated by Payment Pro℠ than on leads generated by any other source. The five-store group based in northern New Jersey delivers closing rates from twelve to twenty-five percent on Payment Pro's credit-analyzed leads, with an average Cost-Per-Sale (CPS) of $200 per vehicle, compared with an average $400 CPS for leads generated by traditional advertising methods.

"Payment Pro is the best new product I've seen in fifteen years," said Robert Boff, IT Director for the Nielsen Auto Group. Boff oversees Internet spending for the group, including selecting and analyzing lead sources for three Chrysler franchises, one Hyundai franchise and a used-car-only center.

Payment Pro is a payment-based conversion tool for auto dealer websites. When Boff heard about it in the fall of 2012, he liked the simplicity of each vehicle on a website having a payment button next to it. He tried it out initially in three Chrysler stores. "Seventy to eighty percent of customers are payment driven, and they like seeing the different payments next to each vehicle. It allows them to comparison shop in a payment range they're comfortable with."

Payment Pro analyzes customers' credit without requiring them to enter personal information such as a social security number (SSN) or date of birth (DOB). Payment Pro pre-qualifies customers for payments on VIN-specific vehicles using the dealers' finance programs, then instantly generates a lead that includes the name, contact information, vehicle of interest, pre-qualified monthly payment amounts and credit eligibility information.

Currently the five stores receive an average of fourteen to twenty Payment Pro leads per month. "Closing rates vary based on the skill of the salespeople, but none of the stores close less than twelve percent of the leads and the best store consistently closes around 25 percent of the leads," said Boff. To help increase the volume of leads generated, he is in the process of adding Payment Pro's mobile solution to the auto group's mobile websites. "I've already noticed that the mobile implementation is resulting in greater lead generation and I'm excited about the potential."

To analyze the performance and value of lead sources, Boff relies on CPS as his primary measurement. "With traditional advertising, it costs us $400 to sell a car. With Payment Pro the monthly fee divided by the number of cars we sell every month results in an average CPS of about $200 per vehicle."

Payment Pro's low CPS is currently delivering a greater value than other conversion tools and lead sources that Nielsen Auto Group is using, including chat, Search-Engine-Marketing (SEM) and display advertising. "My chat leads are down twenty to twenty-five percent this year," said Boff. "Customers are in control these days and they want the information quickly. It depends on the salesperson of course, but if customers can't get their questions answered instantly on chat, they won't give your their name or phone number or e-mail, so you can't even put them into the system as a lead."

Boff has also been experimenting with pay-per-click and display advertising on the Internet. "We're spending thousands per month and we're getting fewer e-mails and phone calls than we did last year," said Boff. "It's kind of confusing. On one hand our traffic is up 38 percent, but the bounce rate is astronomical and has increased 80 percent. Customers click over to our page but they immediately leave, and we have to pay for that."

The other lead sources that Boff relies on are independent Internet leads from AutoUSA as well as other providers. "I like buying leads; you're getting people who are shopping on automotive sites who are in the market," he said.

Boff will continue to use Payment Pro on the Nielsen Auto Group websites. "If you're looking to enhance your website for better conversion, it's a product that will increase the number of leads and help you sell more cars at a fraction of the price of other lead sources."

Payment Pro is powered by DriveItNow and sold by AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions. To see a demonstration of Payment Pro visit www.paymentprodemo.com or visit Booth #326 at the Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition this week in Las Vegas, NV.

About AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions

AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions brings the best-in-class tools to increase Internet sales and lower costs for automotive dealerships. Leading products include Payment Pro^SM, a payment-based pre-qualification tool for dealer websites; ShowPro^SM incentive program, proven to turn more leads into shows; Leads&Listings^SM, providing the highest quality, new and used car email and phone leads from 100+ sites; PowerListings^SM 2.0, helping dealers increase traffic to—and leads from—their social media sites; and AVA Virtual Sales Assistant, helping dealerships manage more leads at a reduced cost. AutoUSA products are currently benefiting thousands of active dealers all across the U.S.

For more information, visit AutoUSA’s web site, subscribe to our blog at http://blog.autousadealers.com, follow us on Twitter @AutoUSALeads and “Like” us on Facebook at /AutoUSADealers

Auto industry’s first direct-linking technology eliminates lead form barrier, returns shopping traffic flow directly to dealers, increases conversion and engagement

• Coalition of 125+ leading 3^rd party sites, reaching 6.5 million consumers monthly
• Saves dealerships up to 85%, versus SEM shoppers & 3rd-party leads

San Francisco, CA – October 14, 2013 –LotLinx officially launched today with a mission to tear down the third-party wall between auto dealers and their customers. Offering the auto industry’s first direct-linking platform, LotLinx connects over 6.5 million consumers searching for vehicle inventory online directly to dealership websites each month, delivering a much higher ROI than other online options.  Now, for the first time, consumers who search inventory on third-party sites will not have to navigate through a lead form, or abandon the site altogether, to get information on the specific vehicle they are interested in, but will be connected directly to that vehicle’s detail page (VDP) on the dealership website.

Inventory search is the number one consumer activity on third-party automotive sites and is increasing dramatically.  And, according to Cobalt[1], VDP views of online inventory are the critical predictor of car sales, generating higher conversion and engagement, and resulting in higher sales velocity than traditional third-party leads or online marketing efforts.  Yet, for years, dealers have been buying expensive and ‘oversold’ leads that disrupt the search process, are infrequently completed accurately and force shoppers to trade personal information for delayed vehicle information. LotLinx technology revolutionizes this entire process, replacing lead forms on third-party sites with direct links that transport consumers searching for inventory directly to the dealer’s VDP, resulting in a higher conversion rate at a fraction (up to 85% reduction) of the cost of other online options. 

“Inventory search is the final step buyers take online before engaging with a dealer and making a purchase,” said Len Short, Founder of LotLinx.  “Until now their navigation has been frustrated by lead forms.  It’s an artificial barrier, or ‘brick wall,’ the consumer hits when he or she wants to shop a specific vehicle online.  This has been depriving dealerships of high-converting, direct online engagement with the buyer.  The time has come for our industry to tear down that wall!”

“Consumers expect instant information and dealerships need the flow of low-funnel traffic returned to their sites.  This is exactly the pain point LotLinx was engineered to solve.  As more and more dealers make a fundamental shift to marketing their own websites as the consumer shopping destination, LotLinx is there to ensure that shopping traffic reaches the dealer’s site directly and converts.”

The patent-pending LotLinx platform now powers 125+ automotive search sites, from AOL Autos to Car and Driver, which reach over 85% of all auto shoppers. Data confirms that these consumers are more engaged, spend more time on the dealership’s website, view more vehicles and are closer to a purchase than traditionally generated traffic.  

Over 50 dealerships, including several major dealer groups, have tested, then expanded, LotLinx and are generating significant increases in sales velocity and ROI.  For example, across all dealerships using LotLinx, cost per VDP view was $3.08 versus $40.26 for non-branded Search Engine Marketing (SEM); cost per unique shopper was $4 versus $121.72 for non-branded SEM, and engagement was 33% higher.

Said Mark Wolfe, Sales Director of Price-Simms: “I was introduced to LotLinx in August 2012 and have implemented it in four rooftops. LotLinx significantly increases my VDP views, customer contacts and most importantly, sales.”

Said Pat Iseman, Internet Director, Lubbers Auto Group:  "The folks at LotLinx bent over backwards to help us understand and implement their service. They came through and delivered what they promised, which was low funnel shoppers to our own website, more affordably than better-known marketers in the paid search space. I would recommend LotLinx wholeheartedly as a great option to drive the right traffic to your dealership site."  

The LotLinx Solution – What It Does

• Indexes – LotLinx technology instantly indexes a dealership’s live, on-lot inventory, creating a fully searchable record optimized for integration into multiple independent search platforms.
• Links – LotLinx serves the live inventory continuously to over 120 auto search platforms.
• Optimizes  – Through LotLinx, a dealer’s live listings appear in top results whenever the vehicle matches a buyer’s search criteria.
• Connects  – LotLinx search results are linked directly to a dealer’s VDPs, on the dealership website, allowing buyers to bypass the lead-form and connect directly.

Based in San Francisco, LotLinx developed its technology from the ground up and is guided by a Board of Directors full of automotive Internet visionaries, especially in the search and lead space, including Mark Boyd, Co-founder of Chrome, who helped build and sell Dealix to Cobalt, and has served as investor/advisor for multiple leading-edge automotive technology companies, such as CARgigi, CarWoo, ActiveEngage, and ZAG/TrueCar; Denise Chudy, former GM of the automotive group at Google; and Jim Riesenbach, former CEO of Autobytel Inc. and GM of AOL Search. 

About LotLinx

LotLinx is the auto industry’s first direct-linking technology platform and connects over 6.5 million consumers searching vehicle inventory online every month directly to the dealership websites where that inventory resides. Founded by a team of veteran automotive and digital innovators, the company’s mission is to tear down the third-party wall between dealers and their customers, and provide a more positive and efficient experience for dealerships and consumers alike. LotLinx’s patent-pending technology replaces lead forms on third-party sites with direct links that transport consumers searching for inventory directly to the dealer’s Vehicle Detail Page (VDP), all at a higher conversion rate and fraction of the cost of other online options. Powering 125+ automotive search sites from AOL Autos to Car and Driver, Lotlinx reaches over 85% of all auto shoppers. LotLinx is based in San Francisco, CA.

Media Contacts
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, 949-307-1723 / melanie@mwebbcom.com
Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, 714-987-1016 / crystal@mwebbcom.com

Advanced platform offers certification curriculum for individual dealership professionals, including Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP)

Salt Lake City, Utah –October 14, 2013 – DrivingSales today announced a major upgrade to DrivingSales University (DSU), the industry leader in online training and performance coaching.  The new DSU platform further revolutionizes industry training by being the first to offer digital marketing training certification courses for dealership professionals, including a path to Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP) certification.  In addition, it makes hundreds of new online training modules available to dealership professionals who are seeking ongoing education.

“Digital media increasingly dominates the way consumers get their information, and the channels where they communicate are rapidly evolving.  Keeping teams trained ahead of this consumer curve, and operating with consistent profit-building protocols, is becoming ever more challenging for dealers,” said DrivingSales founder and CEO Jared Hamilton.  “Not only does the new DrivingSales University platform provide the curriculum to keep dealership teams on top of what is current - and optimal flexibility to access training - it also offers true assurance for dealerships. Dealers who train and/or hire a DSU-certified employee will know that they have a person solidly trained on the latest selling strategies from web analytics to social marketing – and one who is able to constantly update his/her digital practices.”

The new training modules offered by the platform include two DSU-validated certification options: DrivingSales University Digital Marketing Certification and OMCP certification, considered a gold standard across multiple industries. Dealership professionals who receive certification through DSU should gain a distinct advantage in the marketplace, as will the dealerships that employ them. 

In addition, the new curriculum makes DSU unique in the industry because it offers the advantage of best practices that are proven across multiple industry verticals, including social media marketing, pay-per-click advertising, search engine optimization, mobile advertising, local search advertising, web analytics, and landing page conversion optimization.

About OMCP

OMCP is a professional Online Marketing industry certification that recognizes training from a growing, vetted list of the best known education and training providers, and rewards participation in the industry’s top events in a variety of capacities. Marketers who are OMCP Certified have a distinct advantage in the marketplace, and employers and clients can be confident that their training is top notch.

About DrivingSales

DrivingSales is a professional network serving the auto industry with dealer-driven news and information, online training, and performance data, all to enable dealers to make critical business decisions at their dealerships.  DrivingSales’ mission is to connect progressive dealership professionals to the people and information they need to maximize their success.  Founded by a third-generation car dealer, and opened up to the industry in 2008, today DrivingSales has registered users in over 50% of new car dealerships in the US and is active in several other countries around the globe.  To learn more about the DrivingSales community, training or performance analytics visit DrivingSales.com, DrivingSalesUniversity.com and DrivingSalesData.com

DrivingSales Media Relations:

Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 949.307.1723

Elizabeth Johnson (Elizabeth@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 213.713.4865

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., October 15, 2013 – CarWoo!, the leading online marketplace for automotive buyers and dealers, today announced the release of a new eBook for auto dealers: Selling to Stealth Shoppers; Increasing Sales To Shoppers Who Will Not Reveal Themselves

“Auto dealerships are making significant investments in their internet departments while obtaining diminishing returns. Failing to embrace the principles of modern consumer e-commerce, traditional internet departments continue the practice of focusing on ‘setting the appointment,’ while consumers demonstrate increasing discontent with the approach,” said Tommy McClung, CarWoo! Co-Founder & CEO. “The majority of today’s car buyers no longer believe that they should be required to ‘pay’ for pricing, availability or other details regarding a car with their name, phone number and email address – the price demanded by the clearly outdated ‘new car lead’ model and by BDCs and - most importantly - internet departments.”

Selling to Stealth Shoppers; Increasing Sales To Shoppers Who Will Not Reveal Themselves focuses on the reasons behind the emergence of this new majority of car buyers; the stealth shopper. It includes current approaches to influence this troublesome group of consumers and best practices for providing the anonymity they demand. “Dealerships that adapt to this new consumer will demonstrate measureable and sustained success,” McClung stated.

CarWoo! offers consumers a venue in which they can engage with dealers while keeping their contact information private. In the CarWoo! MarketPlace consumers can select the type of car they are interested in, find and communicate with local dealers, receive upfront prices, compare offers and ultimately make a confident, hassle-free purchase decision. All communications take place through the CarWoo! site until the consumer declares they are ready to buy from a dealer – a complete introduction is then made between that dealer and the consumer. CarWoo! connects dealers with today’s buyers who are seeking a better way of engaging; facilitates online best practices; provides access to the more than 55 percent of buyers who won’t become leads; and transitions today’s Internet sales to the new automotive E-commerce environment.

“Respect the shopper’s privacy and you could close 12 to 18 percent of stealth generated leads,” McClung added.

Selling to Stealth Shoppers; Increasing Sales To Shoppers Who Will Not Reveal Themselves can be downloaded at: http://stealth.carwoo.com/whitepaper/.

# # #

About CarWoo!

CarWoo! is dedicated to providing the best online marketplace for automotive buyers and sellers. In the CarWoo! MarketPlace consumers can select the type of car they are interested in, find and communicate privately with local dealers from CarWoo!’s more than 10,000 dealers, receive upfront prices, compare offers and ultimately make a confident, hassle-free purchase decision. Dealers have the opportunity to receive never before available competitive intelligence and insight into the behavior of the online buyer. CarWoo! is the official “Best Deal” partner with AOL Autos and has active relationships with a variety of online sites.  More than 13,000 car dealers and hundreds of thousands of consumers have engaged with each other in the CarWoo! MarketPlace.

Digital Signage is a very complex industry with hundreds of moving parts. From Servers to Software to Monitors to the never ending world of technology, Digital Signage is not a simple business. And either is the auto industry.

The most common question a new inquiry asks is -- "What makes your system different?" In a word -- EVERYTHING.

The best way to look at what the Digital Dealership System system offers, is to look at the general image of digital signage.

Even our first foray into signage, over eight years ago - was connecting a DVD player to a Monitor and running a slideshow. This advanced to running a network over multiple locations using computers with network access. And then adding signage software that took the systems to the next level. After that, and continued till today, we continually enhance software to further expand our customer's dynamic message through dynamic signage.

Digital Signage is as much the same from brand to brand as car companies products are the same from model to model and brand to brand. That is to say, they aren't the same at all. But most people shopping don't see the intricacies of the differences that can be important.

I'm sure car dealers are trained to point out how the car is designed differently, with different warranties, different features, trims and finishes -- and while some customers care -- others simply say "it's just a car."

This happens with signage too.

It's the roll of a dealership sales person to create value in those differences and have a customer see that they are buying an experience and going to be using these features on a daily basis for years to come. A decision made now is one for a long-time.

When it comes to technology, is it best to align yourself with a technology partner at the head of the pack of innovation or one that is in the middle or behind. One that is pushing the technology envelope with unique products and services or one that gives the same product and service to every customer.

Diversity is tangible in the final solution. While there are 5-8 other digital signage players in the industry, most offer the same experience regardless of their customer. It's the same layout, same functionality, same position, same size and while it's simple -- every car dealer signage need is very different. Every car dealership is different. The goals of the stores are different. And their customers are different.

If a potential customer asks, "How can I customize my signs?" most will respond that you can login and change text or upload an image in this one space and possibly add your logo -- but not change it. The layout, structure, functionality, and 'trim' are exactly the same. Similar to customizing a Model T by hanging different color fuzzy dice from the mirror.

The Digital Dealership System offers customized digital signage solutions for EVERY dealer. Layout. Colors. Functionality. Size. Dimensions. Orientation. And much more.

A recent Nissan Customer connected their system and said --

We are watching this on a huge 70" TV. Is it possible to shrink the size of the left column, reduce the ticker and increase the size of the TV portion. We did it while on the phone with the customer.

Unique signage for their space.

When it comes to customized signage, what tools does the signage provide give you. Most -- you get nothing. Maybe some videos and text boxes, but what else? Not much -- we've seen them all.

The Digital Dealership System preloads each system with over 200 choices for ticker backgrounds. That's just the ticker. Coupons, that you can add your own text and video to. Social Media that isn't just a link, but shows updated, live content from Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. And dealership customers can even create their own content mixing video, text and over 20 components into one resource for a truly dynamic customized sign.

Digitizing a dealership doesn't end with signage. Our latest endeavors include touch-screen kiosks that can be used for inventory, tires, car builder, purchase estimator, and much more. Each touch-screen kiosk is customized for the dealership providing branding opportunities and our exclusive screensaver application.

Keeping your brand in front of your customers in the store just became easier with the release of our tablet application that provides a customized browsing experience for dealers -- while increasing customer service. Give a tablet to your customers knowing that it is locked down and can't be manipulated. That the system is easy to work with and shows your dealership advertising while they are browsing the internet. See More Here

And if that wasn't enough, we've created a custom system for those dealerships that have Internet Cafes. The screensaver application will replace the flying toasters of the past with your dealership messages and when the mouse moves, the customer is greeted with a full browsing experience with your banner ads while they browse. All managed through our remote management software. It's easy -- using current dealership computers or utilizing a brand new system with state of the art computers. See More Here

When searching for a digital signage company -- think about a solution -- think about the future and when it's time to #getdigital, give us a call. The Digital Dealership System -- Digitizing your Dealership.

Led by advertising veteran and creative innovator Chris Zobel, CreativeLab uses creative design and execution to energize the science behind the marketing; Zobel selected to speak at J.D. Power Automotive Marketing Roundtable in Las Vegas on October 17th

Daytona Beach, FL  – October 10, 2013 – DMEautomotive today announced the formation of a new creative team: the DMEa CreativeLab.   The CreativeLab accelerates the company’s creative services to rival agency-level capabilities and is tasked with helping DMEa customers exploit emerging opportunities in the rapidly evolving automotive marketing landscape.   Led by advertising veteran and innovator Chris Zobel, CreativeLab provides pioneering creative design and execution that serves as the sharpened point of the ‘science’ spear that drives DMEautomotive’s retention marketing services and technologies.  Additionally, the company announced that Zobel has been selected to present on mobile marketing at the 2013 J.D. Power Automotive Marketing Roundtable in Las Vegas on October 17^th.

“Just as ‘new era’ marketing is based on science - and understands who to target, with what message and when - ‘new era’ creative must also reflect this new, deeper craft.  Chris’ team does just that,” said DMEautomotive CEO Mike Walther.  “CreativeLab produces deep-thinking, data-driven, actionable and just really, really cool creative. The team modulates everything, from tone to content, based on who that consumer is, and then transforms it into something completely engaging. Plus they are experts at how to integrate each piece of creative into the specific format the consumer is communicating in - whether email, passbook, print or mobile - to make it easy and efficient to click, call or visit the dealership/service center.”  

According to Walther, the team was formed in response to a clear need in the dealership and aftermarket space for agency-level marketing creative that is harnessed to science. As part of DMEa’s Strategy & Analytics team, CreativeLab is able to tightly align creative design and execution directly with consumer insights gained through research, analytics, and creative tests.

Zobel, who joined DMEa in 2012, is an 18-year veteran of digital advertising.  He led a variety of automotive digital marketing initiatives at multiple agencies, including Foote, Cone & Belding, Ogilvy & Mather, and TBWA\Chiat\Day. Recently, Zobel created DMEa’s RED (Responsive Email Design) initiative, which dramatically increases click and open rates for clients.  RED solves the discrepancy between the number of emails opened on mobile devices and the lack of available technology that enables easy email communications and optimal reading experience for the mobile dealership consumer. RED is now a key component of DMEa’s recently launched Journey NXT, which targets total customer retention.

“We truly have one thing in mind with the CreativeLab: to create a stronger consumer – dealer relationship,” said Zobel.  “We do this through the perfect fusion of science, creative and copy.  We hope that the CreativeLab can help foment a shift in the auto industry, from old one-size-fits-all marketing habits, to more efficient, effective - and much more exciting - science-driven new era marketing.”

Zobel’s presentation at J.D. Power 2013 Automotive Marketing Roundtable takes place an October 17^th at 9:25 am at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Titled “The Auto Mobile Consumer: From Sales to Service, Adapting to the New Normal”, the presentation offers critical, data-driven, proven strategies to help marketers embrace and integrate mobile into their day-to-day marketing.

About DMEautomotive

DMEautomotive (DMEa) is the industry leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, and provides turnkey marketing to the largest and most innovative automotive organizations, from automobile dealerships to many of the largest aftermarket companies in the U.S. DMEa's uniquely panoramic view of the complete automotive sales and service market, combined with its cutting-edge, science-based marketing programs, increases customer yield, conversion and retention. 

DMEa does not take marketing performance on faith, and each product and service is measured by a simple, precise scientific approach: Is it true? Prove it. Will it work? Test it. Does it generate results? Show it! Supported by DMEa’s proprietary, cloud-based Red Rocket Technology Platform, the DMEa product suite includes science-based, data driven, multi-channel customer acquisition and retention marketing programs; best-in-class campaign reporting; data management and analytics; auto-focused Customer Interaction Center solutions, and complete on-site mail and email fulfillment services. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, DMEa also has major operations in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Contact: 
Media Relations 
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (424) 603-4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com 
Elizabeth Johnson, mWEBB Communications, (213) 713-4865, elizabeth@mwebbcom.com

DealersLink®, the creator of the first dealer-to-dealer marketplace in the United States, today launched their new FastBook® Mobile VIN Scanner App and cloud-based booking tool.

With the newest release of FastBook® Mobile, dealers now have the fastest and most reliable VIN scanner and vehicle valuation tool in the industry. Using state of the art FastScan® technology - FastBook® Mobile quickly and accurately scans vehicle VIN barcodes and QR codes from anywhere - in shadow, through glass, upside-down, even in the dark.

FastBook® Mobile offers an instant and simultaneous comparison of NADA, Kelly Blue Book, MMR, and Black Book values, runs CARFAX and AutoCheck reports, compiles competitive retail market pricing data, and displays similar DealersLink® vehicles available for sale in your region, all on your mobile device.

FastBook® Mobile enables a new level of convenience, accuracy, and vehicle valuation speed. Dealers can make faster more informed decisions and enhance their customer experience!

Dealers can use FastBook® Mobile on their smartphone, at the dealership, at the auction, to appraise customer vehicles, or valuate their current inventory.

The 15th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition, scheduled, October 15 – 17, 2013 at The Mirage, Las Vegas, NV,  is the premier educational conference and exposition dedicated to Internet and technology solutions for automotive professionals.

Visit DealersLink® at The 15th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition at Booth #332, where they will be offering demonstrations and free trials of the new FastBook® Mobile technology.

To learn more about FastBook® Mobile visit, http://www.fastbook.com

FastBook® Mobile - Booking Simplified™

DealerOn Weekly Webinar Series
Thursday, October 10, 2013
12 PM EST/9 AM PST

"6 Customer-Centric Strategies to Maximize Sales & Service Revenue"
Bill Wittenmyer
Partner, ELEAD1ONE

Are you always on the hunt for ways to improve your processes, your customer experience and most importantly…your bottom line?

The most successful and progressive dealerships today utilize powerful BDC, Internet and phone processes to greatly increase revenue and customer retention. And you can too!

Creating customer-centric BDC, Internet and Phone strategies will greatly maximize your sales and service revenue and dramatically improve customer loyalty. So where do you begin?

Join us for an exciting, jam-packed 1 hour webinar where Bill Wittenmyer will discuss 6 key elements that maximize sales and service revenue:

• Understanding how the customer got to your dealership and what triggered the shopping phase – CRM, website and market-focused metrics
• The smart phone evolution – lead handling tips that drive sales
• Developing effective customer communication strategies – Increase conversions, shows and sales from existing opportunities
• Building an effective BDC – maximize leads, appointment-generation, follow up and customer feedback/information
• Creating the ideal buying experience – tips to elevate the shopping perception
• Optimizing the power of your data – successfully retain customers for life

If you are ready to maximize your sales and service revenue with cutting edge, proven customer-centric strategies, then this is a webinar you can’t afford to miss!

PRESENTER: Bill Wittenmyer currently serves as Partner of ELEAD1ONE, the leading automotive CRM and marketing provider in the industry and a division of Data Software Services, L.L.C. In addition to the daily responsibilities of the sales division, Bill also handles all OEM relationships for the company and key accounts such as Autobytel. Prior to joining ELEAD1ONE in 2002, Bill spent over 10 years in the automotive retail space holding various positions in retail operations management with organizations such as the Coggin Automotive Group, a Florida based Asbury Automotive platform. Bill Wittenmyer is currently active in several prominent automotive forums, speaking at several venues each year, and was a finalist as a representative of ELEAD1ONE for the American Honda Premier Partner Award. Bill can be reached at BillW@eleadcrm.com.

Register Now!

ALBANY, N.Y. – October 7th, 2013 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today that its AMPS Dealership Management System (DMS) is fully integrated with AutoAlert, Inc.'s data lead mining solutions. Auto dealers using both systems can leverage the comprehensive data stored in their DMS like never before, using AutoAlert®'s abilities to identify and communicate opportunities that lead to more sales and higher gross profits.

“Big data is only useful if the data is current and accurate, so it's critical to integrate with both the DMS and CRM,” said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate.

The Open/Mate integration ensures that all data exchanged between Auto/Mate's DMS and third-party software systems is delivered instantly and securely in both directions. Real-time integration greatly eliminates redundancy and delivers more accurate information, compared with data exchanges performed via batch deliveries.

"The integration with Auto/Mate's award-winning DMS provides more choices to auto dealers who want to turn their "big data" into simple, useable action items that both sales and service can take advantage of," said Boyd Warner, CEO of AutoAlert.

AutoAlert solutions mine customer data in every department and alert dealership staff to opportunities they would never have otherwise known about, including:

- when a customer is in a position to upgrade to a new vehicle for a similar payment

- which buyers can trade-in their current vehicle for a new one for lower monthly payments, due to market incentives and terms

- when a customer's purchase or lease contract is approaching the end

- when a prospect is scheduled for service and when they arrive at your service drive

- when a customer's lease miles are over their contracted amount and help them into a new car, at a similar payment, while avoiding mileage penalties

- which clients are in the position for an extended warranty, even if they didn’t purchase the vehicle from your dealership

Auto manufacturers and third-party software vendors interested in integrating with Open/Mate should contact Auto/Mate at (518) 371–4331.

About AutoAlert:

AutoAlert®, Inc.™ was established with the intent of providing the automotive dealership industry with products and services designed to enhance sales efforts and sales opportunities. These sales enhancement objectives are accomplished through providing dealerships with data-harvesting lead generation software programs, in house training and support.

The end result for automotive dealers is more proactive, relationship oriented sales efforts and greater sales volumes at significantly reduced client acquisition costs. Because of the depth of experience, technical knowledge and business acumen possessed by key AutoAlert® leadership, and also the advanced next-level line of lead generation products, AutoAlert® believes that its offerings have the potential of revolutionizing the way cars are sold in dealerships throughout the nation. For more information, visit www.autoalert.com

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships. Its Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 900 auto dealers nationwide. In 2013 Auto/Mate received the “Highest Rated” DMS award in the fourth annual Driving Sales Dealer Satisfaction Awards.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 800 years of combined experience working in auto dealerships – the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car People^TM” slogan. For more information visit our website, follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at http://blog.automate.com

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