Website complements business and product realignments

Norfolk, VA- January 23, 2012- Dominion Dealer Solutions, industry leader in automotive marketing, CRM, lead generation, reputation management, social media, equity data mining, websites and inventory management, today announced the launch of their new company website (www.DriveDominion.com).

As part of Dominion Dealer Solutions’ 2011 business and product realignments, the current DriveDominion.com website replaces previous Dominion business websites: www.avv.com, www.autobase.net, www.dealerspecialties.com, www.dealerskins.com, and www.autorevenue.com.  Product news, events, and support for these former business websites are now provided solely on www.DriveDominion.com.

“More and more, OEMs and dealers have been turning to single solution providers to solve real business issues,” stated Robert Berndt, president of Dominion Dealer Solutions.  “The story told on www.DriveDominion.com communicates the power of the industry’s most recognized customer, marketing and inventory solutions – now delivered by a single organization. The launch of this site heralds exciting news for the dealer community in 2012.”

With over 11,000 dealerships nationwide, Dominion Dealer Solutions has already combined customer and loyalty management product offerings with integrated reporting tools and data reports. This unification will continue for existing product offerings throughout 2012. The launch of www.DriveDominion.com as a solutions-oriented website supports the continued integration efforts.

“The new year brings a new Dominion brand,” explained Jennifer Sanford, director of strategic marketing.  “The launch of our site is the first public representation of that new branding.  The heritage, expertise, and success of businesses like Autobase, Dealer Specialties, and Dealerskins continue, but as a single organization with a single website, we deliver even more value to the thousands of dealers we serve each and every day.”

The new site displays updated login tools, customer profile content, company history, dealer success stories, product and service offerings, as well as links to the company’s Facebook (www.facebook.com/dominiondealersolutions), Twitter (www.twitter.com/dominiondealer) and YouTube pages (www.youtube.com/dominiondealer).

About Dominion Dealer Solutions

Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life. Dominion Dealer Solutions' marketing performance system includes: lead generation, mobile apps, reputation management solutions, web-based customer relationship and lead management tools; custom digital marketing tools including websites, SEO, SEM, digital advertising, specialized data aggregation; and inventory management analytics including market reports. Every OEM and more than 60 percent of auto dealers nationwide utilize the Dominion Dealer Solutions' technologies to solve their marketing challenges. For more information, visit www.drivedominion.com.

Dominion Dealer Solutions is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services and publishing company serving the automotive, recreational and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, employment, parenting, travel, and daily deals industries. Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., with 3,300 employees in the United States, Canada, England and Italy, the company provides a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions, more than 60 market-leading websites, and 280 magazines. For more information, visit www.dominionenterprises.com.

Media Contact:

Peyton Hoffman

Media & Industry Relations

757.351.7271

Peyton.hoffman@drivedominion.com

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – January 23^rd, 2012 – Booth #320, NADA—Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today a 20% increase in new auto dealer clients in 2011, along with a record number of new installations. The dealership management system (DMS) provider also announced that the franchises with the highest rate of growth in switching to Auto/Mate’s DMS solution in 2011 were Ford, GM and Toyota dealerships.

Auto/Mate’s President and CEO Mike Esposito attributes the company’s growth to the overall value equation of the software as well as Auto/Mate’s experience with hundreds of DMS conversions. “Our technical team’s expertise makes the data conversion process less painful and less impactful on productivity than it ever has been before,” says Esposito. “When dealers compare us to other DMS providers, the amount they get from a standpoint of user-friendly software, functionality and customer service adds up to being the best value for the money.”

Additionally, Auto/Mate’s Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) software is fully integrated with the dealer communications systems (DCS) of Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, Honda, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Audi and Mitsubishi.

Fully integrated solutions enable more dealer franchises to choose between several cost-effective DMS solutions.

AMPS is a robust DMS with more than 20 modules to suit any size dealership. Dealers get all of the tools they need to effectively and efficiently manage store operations, including Sales, F&I, Fixed Operations, Accounting, CRM, and Fleet Sales. AMPS can be purchased and paid for on a month-to-month basis, eliminating the need for long-term contracts that often contain hidden charges; excessive third party DMS integration expenses and mandatory upgrade fees. AMPS is offered as both an in-house and ASP solution.

Auto/Mate makes continuous improvements to AMPS and customers receive every upgrade FREE for life. To see a demonstration of AMPS, please visit Booth #320 at NADA or schedule an appointment here: http://www.automate.com/nada.html

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 dealership management software in use by more than 700 auto dealers nationwide.

Auto/Mate offers the best customer service in the industry, with live people answering the phone and minimal hold times for technical support. The company received top satisfaction rankings in NADA’s most recent dealership management system survey. Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 300 years of combined experience working in auto dealerships – the foundation of its “designed by car people, for car people” slogan. For more information, visit www.automate.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/AutoMateDMS.

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Fort Lauderdale, FL – January 23^rd, 2012 – Booth 1415, NADA—AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions (www.autousadealers.com) announced it will feature its new product line-up at NADA in Booth #1415. The products are designed to help auto dealer Internet sales departments address their biggest challenges, including staffing issues, adhering to written processes, increased competition and more. AutoUSA recently re-positioned itself, expanding beyond providing new and used Internet leads from independent auto shopping sites. They now provide solutions for increasing close rates, show rates, lowering cost-per-sale and other metrics that Internet departments frequently use to gauge Internet sales effectiveness.

“Study after study has revealed that the wide variation between dealerships’ results with leads are due more to store process than the quality of the leads,” says Phil DuPree, President of AutoUSA. “We know the leads being submitted to independent auto sites are in-market customers and our lead sources are validated within the AutoNation stores. The goal with our new product line is to help dealers reach these customers effectively, engage with them and of course increase sales.”

Products to be featured include:

Leads&Listings^SM

AutoUSA gives dealers exposure on more than 100 of the top auto shopping sites and delivers the highest quality new and used car leads. Having developed an advanced scrubbing & validation process, an easy process for refunding, and custom area coverage, dealers can rest assured no other independent lead provider outperforms leads from AutoUSA.

ShowPro^SM

ShowPro powered by HookLogic is an incentive marketing program proven to turn more leads into “shows.” It allows dealers to offer a financial incentive online to in-market customers, motivating them to visit the dealer’s showroom. ShowPro also provides dealers with territorial exclusivity, ensuring no competitive dealers will be offering the same incentive products to their customers.

PowerListings 2.0^SM

PowerListings 2.0 lists all of a dealer’s inventory on Craigslist and also drives in-market customers from Craigslist to an inventory page on a dealer’s Facebook page. Designed to increase customer engagement and boost SEO rankings with the power of videos, PowerListings 2.0 provides proven ROI.

Virtual Sales Assistant (AVA)

Designed to augment efforts of Internet sales staff in auto dealerships, AVA Virtual Sales Assistant engages with customers who submit Internet leads, verifies contact information, sets phone appointments, improves accountability, and ultimately assists salespeople so they convert more leads into sales.

AVA offers much-needed help to busy Internet sales managers by keeping customers engaged and enabling sales staff to handle greater volumes of leads. Hiring AVA is similar to hiring each sales rep a personal assistant to aid in prioritizing customers to achieve higher sales.

As dealers head into 2012 one of their primary goals is to keep operations streamlined and efficient, while being able to handle increased sales volume. Investing in technology to assist with increased lead volume, competitive pricing, keeping customers engaged via social media platforms and tracking ROI of leads from every source is essential to achieving this goal. Dealerships using these new tools will achieve more Internet sales at a very favorable cost per sale (CPS).

About AutoUSA (www.autousadealers.com)

AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions brings the best-in-class tools to increase Internet sales and lower costs for automotive dealerships. Leading products include Leads&Listings^SM, providing the highest quality, new and used car email and phone leads; ShowPro^SM incentive program, proven to turn more leads into shows; 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, adding profit to the bottom line. AutoUSA products are currently benefiting thousands of active dealers all across the U.S.

AutoUSA has more than ten years of proven success built on a foundation of superior web-based technology, excellent customer service and partnerships that include 100+ independent automotive web sites. AutoUSA is owned and operated by AutoNation, America’s largest auto retailer. For more information go to www.AutoUSAdealers.com , follow us on www.twitter.com/AutoUSALeads and “Like” us on www.facebook.com/AutoUSADealers

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PCG Consulting Inc., the new company created by PCG Digital Marketing, will debut their new products and services available to dealers at the 2012 NADA Convention February 3-6 in Las Vegas.

Dealers can meet the partners, Brian Pasch, Glenn Pasch, Marc McGurren and Ananth Godavari, at booth #3659.

PCG Consulting Inc. was formed to help dealers who need assistance in creating effective processes, measurement standards, and intelligent reporting for their business operations.  The consulting team is comprised of automotive industry experts who will provide vendor-neutral recommendations for products and services that can assist dealers to increase sales and profits.

Dealers looking for assistance in creating effective processes, measurement standards, and intelligent reporting for their business operations, BDC and Internet departments can speak to the partners of PCG Consulting at NADA.

Earlier this week the company released a statement to announce that Marc McGurren had signed on as a partner and will be heading up the Internet/BDC consulting team. Marc is the former Internet Director for the Jerry Durant Auto Group located in Weatherford, TX.

Marc McGurren Joins PCG Consulting

Most recently, Marc was featured on the cover WardsAuto Dealer Business Magazine for his strategies on being one of the top General Motors Internet dealerships in the country. He is a regular contributor and community editor for Drivingsales.com and speaker at multiple automotive conferences.

Marc has held positions in the automotive industry that range from salesperson, sales manager, finance manager, general manager, assistant service and parts director, as well has his most recent position as Internet director.

His vast knowledge of proven digital marketing strategies helped the Jerry Durant Auto Group to have the best year in 42 years and sell over 10,500 cars in 2011.

Dealers looking for a comprehensive review of their business processes, marketing budgets and strategies for 2012 should make sure to visit PCG Consulting Inc. at the 2012 NADA Convention at booth # 3659 or contact Kristen Chiarello at 732-450-8200 or via email at kristen.chiarello@pcgmailer.com.

About PCG Digital Marketing
PCG Digital Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency that serves growing businesses in all industry sectors.  PCG is a leader in automotive marketing education and is nationally recognized as a leader in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) as well as an award winning Internet training firm. Most recently, they were named to the Inc 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies list ranking #192 nationally and #7 in their home state of New Jersey.

For more information on their services, visit http://www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com

DrivingSales and J.D. Power and Associates bridge industry's two most authoritative marketing events, offer combo-ticket prices

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 18, 2012 -- DrivingSales today announced that the 2012 DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES) has expanded to include a joint keynote with J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable. The company also announced the dates and location for its fourth annual event: the DrivingSales Executive Summit will be held Sunday, October 21 through Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. The J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable[1], which immediately follows the DSES, will also be held at the Bellagio. 

"J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable is the industry's top marketing event for automotive retailers, OEMs, agencies and automotive third-party websites, and the DrivingSales Executive Summit is the top digital marketing event for innovative dealers," said DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton. "By bridging these two premier October events with a joint keynote and special combo-ticket rates, we are creating the highest impact, profit-building experience for all levels of the automotive industry."

While the two events remain separate, each with a distinct personality and target audience, the new relationship between the J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable and the DrivingSales Executive Summit makes it easier for those who want exposure to each conference's signature content.

"Industry professionals have long faced the October dilemma of multiple conferences," said John Humphrey, senior vice president of global automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates.  "We are very pleased that, through our alliance with DrivingSales, the industry's two most authoritative digital marketing events can make conference attendance an even more powerful and convenient experience for Dealers, OEMs and other automotive professionals."

The 2012 DrivingSales Executive Summit will commence Sunday, October 21 at 3:00 pm and conclude Tuesday, October 23, after the joint keynote presentation, which will include a world-renowned speaker on digital marketing, and reception. J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable program will begin with the joint keynote presentation, move into their welcome reception and conclude on Friday, October 26.  Both events will be held at the Bellagio Las Vegas. Special combo-ticket prices for the two events will be available.

For more information about the DrivingSales Executive Summit, visit: DrivingSalesExecutiveSummit.com or contact dses@drivingsales.com.  Stay tuned for DSES news as it develops on www.twitter.com/drivingsales and on facebook.com/drivingsales. Participate in the conversation with the #DSES hashtag as preparations continue throughout the year.

For more information about the J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable visit http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/Events.aspx.

About The DrivingSales Executive Summit

The DrivingSales Executive Summit is a uniquely collaborative event modeled after the best practices and information-sharing among dealers and auto industry professionals on DrivingSales.com. The fourth annual event will bring together the most progressive dealers in the country, along with world-renowned speakers, all focused on pushing the auto industry's 'innovation boundaries' and translating the latest trends and business realities into solid 2013 action plans for every dealership department.

The DrivingSales Executive Summit is 100% dealer driven and designed specifically for the most advanced dealer principals and dealership executives in the industry. The exclusive event has a vendor-neutral policy, meaning no vendor influence on presentation selection and adherence to a strict dealer-to-vendor ratio.

DrivingSales Executive Summit Media Relations:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340
Angela Jacobson (angela@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 714.454.8776

[1] Prior to 2012, the J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Marketing Roundtable was known as the J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Internet Roundtable.

Groundbreaking program increases the number of vehicles on Phoenix lots eligible for certification; provides used car buyers with peace of mind and purchase protection

Venice, CA  -- January 18, 2012 – Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced that SureSale^TM Certified, a comprehensive certified pre-owned (CPO) marketing program launched today in Phoenix.  SureSale expands the range of vehicles eligible for certification on dealer lots, online marketplaces, and remarketing channels and makes it easy to implement vehicle certification, while also providing car buyers with increased purchase confidence.

“SureSale is a real breakthrough for dealers in the Phoenix area because now they can provide consumers who are shopping for vehicles in a wide variety of price levels, ages, makes and models, with a powerful certification program they can really trust,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, president and CEO of Mota Motors. 

SureSale Certified provides Phoenix area dealers, who don’t have access to manufacturer CPO programs, the opportunity to differentiate their dealership by selling certified inventory; and for those who do have access, it provides a certified business model that complements their existing manufacturer CPO program by extending the range of vehicles they can sell as certified - used vehicles that are up to 15 years old and 150K miles.

SureSale dealer benefits also include no monthly fees or long term contract commitments; easy ‘one-click’ vehicle certification; best-in-class limited warranties and vehicle service contracts; and third-party vehicle inspections -- all of which generate greater customer and financial institution confidence, quicker inventory turn rates and more sales opportunities for the dealership.

“We are pleased to bring SureSale to Phoenix to help area dealers sell more confidently and local used car buyers purchase with greater peace of mind,” said Schwartz.   

According to Schwartz, many of the 30-plus million vehicles not sold as certified last year would have been eligible for SureSale, providing many more buyers of used vehicles the assurance of certification.  Furthermore, research shows that the majority (65%) of used-car buyers intend to purchase a certified vehicle,¹ and that certified vehicles turn about 20 days faster than their non-certified counterparts, providing dealers with greater profit opportunities because consumers are willing to pay, on average, a 12-27% premium on certified vehicles. ²

‘One-Click’ Certification

Powered by Mota’s groundbreaking technology, SureSale’s online platform makes it easy for Phoenix dealers to identify eligible vehicles; coordinate on-site vehicle inspections; syndicate listings across online automotive marketplaces; generate customer point of sale (POS) materials; and activate limited warranties and extended coverage plans in minutes, through one simple to use interface.

Key Benefits of SureSale Certified Include:

• Objective 3^rd Party Vehicle Inspection: Comprehensive 100+ point vehicle inspection provided by a national inspection team.
• Five-Month / 5,000-Mile Limited Warranty: Underwritten by a top-rated provider of innovative insurance products, covering all major vehicle components.

• Five-Day / 500-Mile Buy-Back Guarantee: Increases consumer confidence with purchase protection, and provides dealers restocking fees.
• Vehicle Service Contract Upgrades: Increases consumer confidence, while also providing additional sales opportunities for dealerships; includes major mechanical coverage up to 36 months, emergency roadside service, rental car, trip interruption reimbursement and more.
• Comprehensive Auto Report: Validates purchase protection and quality assurance; provides vehicle specifications, inspection, title, and extended protection plan details.
• Turnkey, SureSale-Branded Consumer Marketing:  Engaging point of sale materials provided for dealership showroom, vehicle merchandising, website and online listings.
• Service and Support: Dedicated SureSale platform training and customer support.

To learn more about becoming a SureSale Certified dealer go to http://www.suresale.com

¹http://www.jdpower.com/news/pressRelease.aspx?ID=2010201

²NIADA

About Mota Motors 

Mota Motors is a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms.  Dedicated to bringing a new transparency and trust to the used car marketplace, the company enables sellers to sell with new confidence and buyers to buy with a new peace of mind.  The company's team of technology experts and automotive veterans develop solutions that take advantage of the best of the information-empowered digital marketplace.  Programs include new certification technologies such as the SureSale^TM platform, which provides used-car buyers with unmatched certification on a far wider variety of used vehicles than has ever been offered before, while providing private sellers and dealerships with a 'one click' certification process for their vehicles.  Mota Motors is based in Venice, California.  Mota Motors was founded by Reza Bundy.

Media Contacts:

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, 714.987.1016, crystal@mwebbcom.com

EATONTOWN, NJ – PCG Digital Marketing, New Jersey’s fastest growing Internet Marketing Agency, is pleased to announce the launch of their new automotive consulting company, PCG Consulting Inc.
PCG Consulting was formed to meet the needs of car dealers who need assistance in creating effective processes, measurement standards, and intelligent reporting for their business operations.
The consulting division will be a separate company from PCG Digital Marketing and will provide vendor-neutral recommendations for products and services that can assist dealers to increase sales and profits.

According to Brian Pasch, CEO of PCG Consulting, “Dealers are asking for assistance creating processes and reports to measure the ROI of Internet marketing investments.  Dealers also recognize that their BDC/Internet departments need training, inspection, and accountability in order to improve their success handling online leads and calls.  Our consulting team will provide a holistic approach to increase the productivity and success of the dealership.”

Marc McGurren Joins PCG Consulting, Inc.

PCG Consulting also announced today that Marc McGurren will be a partner in this new enterprise and will head up the Internet/BDC consulting team. Marc is the former Internet Director for the Jerry Durant Auto Group located in Weatherford, TX.

Most recently, Marc was featured on the cover WardsAuto Dealer Business Magazine for his strategies on being one of the top General Motors Internet dealerships in the country. He is a regular contributor and community editor for Drivingsales.com and speaker at multiple automotive conferences.

McGurren has held positions in the automotive industry that range from salesperson, sales manager, finance manager, general manager, assistant service and parts director, as well has his most recent position as Internet director.

His passion and desire to execute digital marketing strategies is contagious and his track record of “you can’t fix what you don’t know” helped the Jerry Durant Auto Group to have the best year in 42 years and sell over 10,500 cars in 2011.

PCG Consulting will be lead by partners Brian Pasch, Glenn Pasch, Ananth Godavari and Marc McGurren.

Dealers looking for a comprehensive review of their business processes, marketing budgets and strategies for 2012 should contact Kristen Chiarello of PCG Consulting Inc. at 732-450-8200 or via email at kristen.chiarello@pcgmailer.com.

The PCG Consulting team will be at the 2012 NADA Conference February 3-6 in Las Vegas.  Dealers can meet the team and learn more about their consulting services by visiting booth #3659.

About PCG Digital Marketing
PCG Digital Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency that serves growing businesses in all industry sectors.  PCG is a leader in automotive marketing education and is nationally recognized as a leader in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) as well as an award winning Internet training firm. Most recently, they were named to the Inc 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies list ranking #192 nationally and #7 in their home state of New Jersey.

For more information on their services, visit http://www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com

Las Vegas, NV, January 17, 2012 –MPi (www.mpiworldclass.com), a leading provider of winning automotive dealership service solutions, today announced that MPi EDGE, the only proven dealership service solution, has been completely revamped and will be re-launched as EDGE WorldClass™ at NADA 2012.

EDGE WorldClass™ is a comprehensive product suite that is a more flexible, nimble and personalized approach; customizable to fit the exact needs of any dealership. From Express to Mobile technology, to any configuration of service bays, EDGE WorldClass™ empowers customer pay profitability. According to a recent study of the more than eight hundred franchise dealerships using the system, EDGE WorldClass produces a much sought after average monthly up-sell from inspections of $81,996. EDGE WorldClass™ will be unveiled at the 2012 NADA & ATD Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, NV, February 3-6, booth #1479. To sign up for a demonstration call 888-503-8040 or visit (www.mpi-edge.com/contact.aspx)

Since its original launch in 2003, MPi has developed a tremendous Knowledge Base from the more than 15 million vehicle inspections performed. As a result, EDGE WorldClass™ has evolved into the most effective and feature-rich offering in the market; dealerships using the system now see an average monthly upsell from inspections of over $80,000.

“Within less than 20 days of installation we saw our numbers increase by 15% over average, and continue to see an increase of more than $65,000 in monthly parts and labor gross profits, and a monthly parts/labor sales increase of over $100,000. Our numbers are phenomenal, especially when you look at 2010 versus 2011,” said Vinnie Lamica, service director at Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa, CA. Lamica sees those huge gains flowing directly from the system’s ability to spot areas where advisors and technicians fell short and correct them quickly. “MPi is truly the most comprehensive and technologically advanced product suite on the market for Fixed Operations.”
 

EDGE WorldClass allows users to customize a solution that is perfect for their specific needs.  It combines MPi’s Inspection™ program with technology-enabled processes and metrics that allow everyone from the dealer principal to fixed operations managers, service advisors, technicians and the parts department to quickly and effectively measure all aspects of their customer pay business.

“With EDGE WorldClass we’re coining a new industry buzzword similar to F&I; I&R (Inspect and Retain). EDGE WorldClass™ is the leading I&R solution for dealerships,” says Rich Holland, MPi President. “We’ve created a more flexible, nimble and personalized approach to our solution. It’s no longer one size fits all. Now dealers from all levels have full access and can personalize what best fits their dealership’s needs. It’s like turning on a light switch when dealerships implement EDGE WorldClass™ and begin to see data they’d long considered impossible to collect.”

For more information, or to schedule a demonstration, call 888-503-8040, visit (www.mpi-edge.com/contact.aspx), or stop by booth #1479 at NADA 2012.

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About MPi:

For more information visit: http://www.mpi-edge.com/company/overview.aspx

GM Approves Naked Lime Marketing for Web, Marketing, and Advertising Solutions under GM’s in-Market Retail Turnkey Program

Participating dealerships can use matching funds from GM to offset costs associated with eligible marketing and advertising services from Naked Lime

Kettering, Ohio – Jan. 17, 2012 – Naked Lime Marketing today announced that it has been approved by General Motors (GM) to provide marketing, advertising, and web solutions to GM dealerships across the U.S. under GM’s matching funds advertising and marketing program. More than 90 percent of GM’s 4,300 dealerships participate in the program in which GM reimburses dealerships for a portion of eligible local advertising and marketing costs incurred from approved vendors.

GM has approved certain Naked Lime product offerings for reimbursement under GM’s iMR (In-Market Retail) Turnkey Program.

The approved Naked Lime Marketing portfolio of products and services for dealerships includes:

• Full-service advertising solutions, including advertising production and media services.
• A complete array of web services, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media, paid search, and online reputation management.
• CarLocate.com, an Internet marketing channel designed to offer dealerships another channel to market their new and used vehicle inventories to consumers.

These Naked Lime products and services are available to GM dealerships regardless of the dealership management system provider, website host, or other products and services the dealership may be using. 

“Everyone at Naked Lime Marketing is proud of the results we’ve delivered to our automotive customers and the recognition to be included in GM’s co-op marketing programs for their dealerships,” said Trey Hiers, the chief marketing officer at Naked Lime Marketing. “Our focus for dealerships is geared toward reaching and attracting customers, generating leads for new customers, and coordinating messages across different channels. That focus complements the intent of GM’s marketing programs, and we look forward to working with GM dealerships to deliver measurable results with our products and services.”

Naked Lime Marketing is a new brand that brings together a set of established web, advertising, and digital marketing solutions and services with proven track records in serving automotive retailers. 

Naked Lime Marketing covers every aspect of a dealership’s retail marketing, advertising, and web strategy, whether reaching consumers through traditional marketing and advertising channels or through newer digital channels that range from web and SEO to social media and reputation management. 

Hiers concluded:  “The products and services from Naked Lime can change dramatically how dealerships fulfill their marketing and advertising strategies and how consumers experience a dealership. We believe that’s a powerful combination that can lead to better business results for GM dealers.”

The Naked Lime brand launched officially during the 11^th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas in October 2011.

Naked Lime Marketing will be in booth 2122 at the 2012 National Automobile Dealers Association show in Las Vegas.

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About Naked Lime Marketing

Naked Lime’s Naked Truth: Deliver bold and innovative full-service marketing, advertising, and web solutions and services that help automotive dealers turn the heads of consumers and inspire consumer loyalty at every point in the retail process. Connect with Naked Lime Marketing on the Web: www.nakedlime.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/nkdlime, or Twitter: www.twitter.com/nkdlime.

Contact:

Tom Schwartz
937.269.9569
Media@NakedLime.com

Clearwater, FL – January 16, 2011 – Carter West Public Relations, the nation’s leading agency specializing in the retail automotive technology industry, announced today the official launch of its social media division. Integrated public relations and social media solutions have been proven to greatly increase the effectiveness of clients’ marketing communications strategies, maximize web exposure, increase brand awareness and drive more traffic to client web sites.

“The social media strategies we have implemented for our clients have opened up new channels of communication for them and have been very well received,” said Sara Callahan, President of Carter West. “The results have made clear that an integrated public relations and social media approach takes a company’s exposure to a new level, enabling them to reach and engage with a very targeted audience.”

The launch of the new social media division is the culmination of more than a year’s worth of trials that have implemented social media strategies into current public relations programs. “Carter West PR has increased our web presence and we are looking forward to seeing the ROI of a full-service social media program with them in 2012,” says Phil DuPree, President of AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions. “In the past year it’s become clear that as more dealership employees are growing comfortable with the various social media platforms, they are using them to research, find reviews of, and interact with vendors.”

Carter West’s social media services include establishing and building presence on well-known platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, client blogs and automotive-specific social networking sites. Carter West’s social media team provides full-service solutions including content creation, engagement campaigns, comment marketing, video production, design and advertising, reputation management and ROI reporting/analytics. All social media strategies are custom designed to each client’s preferences and specific marketing goals, and are offered as part of an integrated public relations program.

In a recent survey conducted by Carter West PR, 159 dealership management personnel responded to social media related questions (55% owners and general managers, and 45% a mix of other management positions including controllers and CIOs, dealer principals, service and parts managers, and sales managers). Survey results indicate that a growing number of dealership management personnel are turning to auto social networking sites as a primary source of information and news on products and services. In addition, more than 81% of respondents maintain a Facebook profile, and of those, 29% said they use Facebook to interact with vendors. 44% have a Linked In profile and 17% have a Twitter profile. The survey also highlighted the growing usage of social media by dealerships, with 79% of respondents reporting they have a social media program in place.

For more information about Carter West social media programs visit www.carterwestpr.com or call 727-288-2159.

About Carter West PR

Founded in 1990, Carter West Public Relations is a results-driven agency specializing in the retail automotive and technology fields. The firm offers integrated, creative and highly effective public relations and social media solutions that help clients’ achieve their marketing communications goals and expand market share.

More than 25 years of expertise and experience have made Carter West the leading public relations firm in retail automotive, having successfully represented dozens of companies in the industry. Many of its clients are long-term customers that recognize and appreciate the firms’ high level of dedication, personal service and responsiveness. Nobody knows the industry and can drive results like Carter West.

For more information, visit www.carterwestpr.com or call 727-288-2159; also “Like” Carter West on www.facebook.com/CarterWestPR and follow on www.twitter.com/CarterWestPR or connect on www.linkedin.com/in/saracallahan