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Press Release

DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

AutoTrader buys Kelley Blue Book (KBB)
ATLANTA and IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoTrader.com, the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information web site, announces that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com), one of the most recognized and influential brands in the automotive industry. As part of the deal, AutoTrader.com will also acquire Kelley Blue Book's sister companies CDMdata and CDM Dealer Services.
 
Details of the transaction are not being disclosed. Kelley Blue Book will operate as a subsidiary of AutoTrader.com and continue to be headquartered in Irvine, CA. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. J.P. Morgan acted as Kelley Blue Book's exclusive financial advisor through this process.  Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor to AutoTrader.com.
 
"AutoTrader.com is excited about becoming the new owner of Kelley Blue Book because we believe the company has a great future," said AutoTrader.com President and CEO, Chip Perry. "Kelley Blue Book has a wonderful history as an iconic brand and trusted provider of vehicle information to generations of car buyers and sellers, and as we look into the future we believe together we can bring a host of new technologies and tools to market that will significantly improve the car shopping process for consumers, and help auto dealers and manufacturers better capitalize on the fundamental efficiency advantages of the Internet."
 
"The future that lies before us is full of potential," said Kelley Blue Book President and CEO Paul Johnson. "We are proud of the Kelley Blue Book brand and our many accomplishments over the past 84 years. Becoming part of the AutoTrader.com family of companies will help us accelerate our growth in the vehicle valuation and consumer car shopping spaces. By working together, we can help all of our customers achieve their goals by providing best-in-class values, information, products and services."
 
AutoTrader.com strongly believes in maintaining Kelley Blue Book's independent and unbiased position in the marketplace. Furthermore, AutoTrader.com is committed to maintaining and strengthening Kelley Blue Book's role as The Trusted Resource® for vehicle valuation and other important industry information among consumers, dealers, manufacturers, financial and governmental institutions. Paul Johnson and the rest of Kelley Blue Book's leadership team will remain in place and continue to enhance the company's brand in collaboration with AutoTrader.com.
"The Internet has become a primary marketing channel for auto dealers and manufacturers to reach and influence consumers during the vehicle purchase process," added Perry. "We believe our two companies are well positioned in this very competitive environment to help the industry adopt and embrace new tools and technologies that will drive higher levels of efficiency and profitability among both dealers and manufacturers over the next decade."
 
Founded 12 years ago, AutoTrader.com quickly became a premier online destination where vehicle sellers and buyers connect and initiate automotive transactions. With innovative marketing tools and one of the largest audiences of in-market auto shoppers on the Web, AutoTrader.com has become a leading resource for auto dealers and manufacturers to present their vehicles for sale, target shoppers and seek to influence shopper and buyer behavior via highly targeted and cost effective online advertising. For the auto shopper, AutoTrader.com offers a wealth of research-and-compare functions, search tools and inventory of cars for sale, all of which allows car shoppers to find the perfect car to meet their individual needs.
 
Kelley Blue Book, founded in 1926, launched its top rated Web site in 1995 and is now a leading provider of new and used vehicle pricing information to the auto industry. The company provides its values to dealers, banks, finance and insurance companies nationwide on a weekly basis. In the last few years, the company implemented a new multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art vehicle information management system, positioning the company to deliver market insights.
 
About AutoTrader.com
Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates two other auto marketing brands, AutoTraderClassics.com and AutoTraderLatino.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.
 
About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new- and used-vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated website, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the Fair Purchase Price, which reports what buyers are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2009 Spring Automotive Website Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information website among new- and used-vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com also is a W3 Silver Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, used car values, car reviews, new cars for sale, used cars for sale, and car dealer locations.
SOURCE AutoTrader.com



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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

DrivingSales Announces Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010: eCarList TrueTarget Mobile Wins Innovation Cup Award

DrivingSales Announces Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010: eCarList TrueTarget Mobile Wins Innovation Cup Award

Cobalt Digital Advertising Package, GOSO - Social Media Dashboard, ResponseLogix SmartQuote, VinSolutions VinLens and Website Dashboard are Finalists

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Oct. 25, 2010  -- DrivingSales (www.drivingsales.com), the auto industry's largest car dealer social network, presented eCarList TrueTarget Mobile with the DrivingSales Innovation Cup Award for Most Innovative Dealership Solution of 2010 at the Second Annual DrivingSales Executive Summit in Las Vegas.

The First Annual DrivingSales Innovation Cup Awards were created to recognize solutions introduced in 2010 whose innovative approaches have produced significant results for dealers.  Dealership solution-providers submitted applications online (most also received nominations from dealer customers), vendor names were blanked out, and a panel of dealers assessed each application.  Six were selected from dozens of online applicants to present onstage at the Second Annual DrivingSales Executive Summit, where dealers scored each solution.  

eCarList TrueTarget Mobile received the highest score.  Cobalt Digital Advertising Package, GOSO - Social Media Dashboard, ResponseLogix SmartQuote, VinSolutions VinLens and VinSolutions Website Dashboard were named as finalists.  

"Our mission was to uncover the most innovative vendor solutions for dealerships for 2010 -- and we were literally wowed by each and every dealer-nominated application," said DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton.  "eCarList stood out in a remarkable field of competitors, each of which is set to create real world benefits to help dealerships thrive in the rebounding auto market. As one of our dealer judges put it: 'I am two thirds of my way through the applications and I want almost all these products at my store!'" 

Each dealer-nominated solution will be profiled at DrivingSales.com, and in the DrivingSales newsletter. For more information about the First Annual DrivingSales Innovation Cup Awards, go to:  www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup.

About DrivingSales.com

DrivingSales.com is the largest car dealer social network where thousands of dealership professionals collaborate and share best practices in a 20-group style setting. The site is the industry's largest source of free dealership best practices information.

At DrivingSales, members create profiles, network with each other and share best practices. Dealership managers are allowed to rate and review their dealership vendors (http://www.drivingsales.com/ratings) in a verified setting. DrivingSales hosts the largest retail focused community of automotive blogs (http://www.drivingsales.com/blogs/), videos, interviews, social automotive news feeds and more.

DrivingSales was created and built from the ground up in 2003 by Jared Hamilton, a third generation auto dealer, as a private automotive business community to network his NADA Dealer Candidate Academy class. The site opened nationally in 2008 and is the industry's leading automotive social media custom platform. DrivingSales was named one of ten social media gambits for 2009 by Automotive News and one of the Top 10 Companies to Watch by Auto Success Magazine.

DrivingSales Media Relations:

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

Angela Jacobson (angela@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 714.454.8776

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

MPi’s World Class Inspection Program Drives Substantial Profits

 

 

For additional information contact:

Sara Callahan                                                 Susan Lovett

Carter West Public Relations                          Mobile Productivity, Inc.

Phone: 727-288-2159                                     Phone: (800) 997-1674 x2010

E-mail:scallahan@carterwestpr.com             slovett@mpifix.com

 

 

  MPi’s World Class Inspection Program Drives Substantial

Monthly Service Profits in Auto Dealer Service Departments

 

            Las Vegas, NV October 25, 2010 —   Mobile Productivity, Inc., (MPi) (www.mpifix.com) a leading provider of profitability tools for auto dealer service departments, today announced that auto dealers using its World Class Inspection™ (WCI) Program have proven to be more profitable. A study of WCI dealers from Jan-Oct 2010 found that “on average” these dealers generated an additional $76.00 in customer pay parts and labor sales per repair order, proving the success of the program in service departments nationwide.

 

 

Increase in Customer Pay Parts and Labor Sales per RO with MPi

Domestic

 

All Dealerships

$                  70.08

Top 25%*

$                127.85

 

 

Asian Non-Luxury

 

All Dealerships

$                  50.04

Top 25%*

$                  92.02

 

 

European and Asian Luxury

 

All Dealerships

$                107.27

Top 25%*

$                248.88

   

* Top 25% of the best-performing dealerships on the MPi program

 

 “Last year we broke all kinds of records for retail customer pay business at our stores,” says Steve Jellen, Flemington (N.J.) Car and Truck Country  fixed operations director, noting a $1.1 million gain in customer pay work for the year (a 5 percent gain for the group). We increased our volume of pay for repair orders (ROs). We increased our overall number of ROs and traffic volume.”

“With two years of an economic recession, I wonder where we’d be without the MPi program,” Jellen says. “You can’t measure what it would have looked like.”

MPi’s primary focus is providing dealerships the necessary tools, processes and training to successfully institute a comprehensive, world class inspection program in service departments across North America.  MPi’s proven results driven solution has been helping over 800 dealerships achieve a 4 or 5 to 1 return on investment since 2003 by increasing the sale of legitimately needed service work. 

     “With current market conditions, the key is to promote and sell all legitimately needed parts and service work to existing customers. Dealers using the World Class Inspection system uniformly see significant increases in recommendations per vehicle inspection; which translates to healthy increases in gross profit,” said David Boyle, President and COO of MPi.

The WCI system focuses on the management of a “customer friendly” process which, when performed correctly, produces better results.  MPi’s complete and all inclusive vehicle inspection program includes its state of the art software solution, EDGE customized customer friendly communication tools (Recommended Action Plan™ and Know Your Vehicle™ reports), detailed management reporting and analysis tools, ongoing consulting and training services, and process and performance metrics.

WCI pricing is based on dealership size and number of users. A dealership can receive a no-cost price quote and business case by contacting MPI at (888) 503-8040 or visiting MPi’s website at: www.mpifix.com

About MPi:

For more information visit:

http://www.mpifix.com/company/overview.aspx

 

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

Dealer Specialties and vAuto to Provide Real-Time Inventory Services

 

(OCT.20, CINCINNATI) – Dealer Specialties, a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions and the nation’s largest provider of comprehensive inventory management solutions, websites and marketing tools, announces the development of a new integration application (API) that provides real-time updates of all pricing and vehicle comment changes through vAuto.    
 
Dealer Specialties, known in the industry as the leading provider of real-time inventory updates, now incorporates real-time inventory updates with vAuto. Customers can now make pricing and seller comments within vAuto and have these changes updated instantly inside their Dealer Specialties inventory management tool. For customers with vAuto and an integrated Dealer Specialties IVM and website product, this enhancement is significant, as it reduces the time to reflect vehicle price and comment updates online from hours to mere seconds.
 
The vAuto system is a suite of solutions that provides the auto industry’s only “live, real time” analysis of used vehicle markets, with up-to-the-minute information about used vehicle supply, demand and pricing tailored to specific dealership market areas. vAuto utilizes its Live Market Pricing, Appraising, Stocking, Merchandising and Publishing modules to provide proven, highly effective solutions required for successful used vehicle inventory management.
 
“We are always looking for increased functionality that will simplify inventory management processes and result in a quicker time to market for used vehicles,“ said Keith Jezek, vAuto’s President and CEO. “Dealer Specialties’ web distribution enhancement will allow our dealers to have their pricing decisions implemented instantaneously, offering them a real-time competitive advantage.”
 
“Price changes are critical in today’s fast-paced internet retail environment. Dealers who invest in pricing analytics tools have their finger on the pulse of the market.  This real-time integration allows them to have their changes reflected in an increasingly time-sensitive industry. Our ability to leverage real-time inventory updates with vAuto dramatically empowers those customers that use both products,” said Glen Garvin, group general manager for Dominion Dealer Solutions.
 
For more information about Dealer Specialties’ simple, powerful solutions and how these tools and industry consultants can benefit dealerships, visit www.dealerspecialties.com.
 
About Dealer Specialties
Dealer Specialties, a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, is the nation's leading provider of a comprehensive suite of inventory management solutions, dealer websites and internet marketing. Providing full-serve and self-serve solutions to dealers’ growing and changing business needs, Dealer Specialties provides real-time inventory updates, and inventory marketing on the industry's largest online distribution network, including GetAuto.com, Cars.com, eBay Motors, Craigslist, Vast.com, Google, YouTube and many others.
 
Dealerships across the country choose Dealer Specialties as their inventory management and marketing solutions provider to ensure the highest quality, accuracy and timeliness of their vehicle inventory from lot to online. For more information, visit www.dealerspecialties.com.
 
About Dominion Dealer Solutions
Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life.  Dominion Dealer Solutions products include: lead generation through IFMG; customer relationship management tools through AVV, Autobase, and @utoRevenue; Web sites through Dealerskins and XIGroup; and specialized data aggregation, management, and reporting services through Dealer Specialties, Cross-Sell, The DataCube, and DataOne Software.  These businesses serve more than 60 percent of auto dealers nationwide.  Learn more at http://www.DominionDealerSolutions.com.  Dominion Dealer Solutions is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services company serving the automotive, enthusiast and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, and employment industries.  Please see http://www.DominionEnterprises.com
 
About vAuto, Inc.
Headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, IL, vAuto also maintains a research and development center in Austin, TX. vAuto’s innovative “Live Market View” technology allows dealers to manage their used-vehicle inventories based on actual supply-and-demand for their specific market. Today, more than 3,000 dealerships across the country use vAuto’s pricing, appraisal, stocking and merchandising systems. Dale Pollak, vAuto’s Founder and Chairman, is the author of two books featuring best practices and strategies for the used car department, Velocity: From the Front Line to the Bottom Line and Velocity 2.0: Paint, Pixels & Profitability. Additional information about vAuto is available at www.vauto.com.

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

Dealer.com Wins 2010 Pinnacle Automotive Website Award for Search Marketing

Oct 12, 2010 – (RUMSON, NJ) PCG Digital Marketing today announced that Dealer.com was chosen to receive a Pinnacle 2010 Automotive Website Award (AWA) for search marketing.  The awards were presented to the leading automotive website companies at the AWA breakfast ceremony in Las Vegas. The awards ceremony preceded the official start of the 9th Annual Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition.  Dealer.com was chosen to receive the Pinnacle award for search marketing.

The Pinnacle award is the highest recognition the AWA provides in the AWA Search Marketing category. The companies receiving this award have designed and delivered search compliant websites that stood above their peers. Pinnacle Platform winners deliver outstanding digital marketing platforms for car dealers and show an unprecedented attention to detail in live production. These automotive platforms reached the pinnacle for scoring in our AWA benchmarks and live testing, which demonstrates that these companies practice what they preach.

This is the second year in a row that Dealer.com has been placed in the highest winning category for Search Marketing. Dealer.com is one of only three companies to win two Automotive Website Awards (AWA) this year: Pinnacle Platform for Search Marketing and Best Online Advertising Tool for Website Technology. Dealer.com is an industry leader in both its number of dealerships on its technology platform and also in the way it innovates the automotive industry each year.

The 3rd annual Automotive Website Awards (AWA) were created by PCG Digital Marketing, recognized leaders in automotive digital marketing strategies.  For 2010, PCG Digital Marketing recognized the industry’s best website platforms across three different categories: design, technology and search marketing.

The Automotive Website Awards seek to provide car dealers with an unbiased evaluation of automotive website platforms and integrated search marketing tools.  The 2010 AWA study included a review of over 50 automotive website providers.  

This year’s published study includes 160 pages of valuable information regarding automotive website platform choices, search marketing performance, design and technology. The report is the industry’s reference guide for the best in automotive website technology and design.

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

Dealer.com Launches New Service Marketing Package

October 13, 2010  – BURLINGTON, VT – Dealer.com the global leader in online marketing solutions for auto dealers, today announced the launch of its new Service Marketing Package, an automated solution that delivers the industry’s most extensive service content for dealers’ websites and empowers them to retain and recapture more service customers, enhance customer satisfaction and build profitability – without a drain on dealership resources.

 

While fixed operations are a critical dealer profit center, several trends are converging and causing a growing number of consumers to defect to independent service providers.  The Dealer.com Service Marketing Package combats these trends by enabling dealers to build stronger customer relationships through cutting-edge website content as well as customized communications delivered more frequently and at a lower cost than conventional direct mail.

 

“We are pleased to introduce this turnkey, ‘set it and forget it’ solution that helps dealers increase their service business by providing rich, relevant content to the right customers at the right time,” said Dean Evans, Chief Marketing Officer of Dealer.com.  “This is the ultimate in fixed operations marketing – it requires minimal maintenance or human intervention, yet delivers a proven, trackable ROI.”  

 

Evans continued, “We are setting a new industry benchmark for website service content, which is critical because the number of Internet searches for vehicle service is growing rapidly, and about 60% of the visitors to a dealer’s website are going to the service page.”

 

With the Service Marketing Package, each of a dealership’s sales and service customers gets a free Online Garage, powered by DriverSide – the leading online vehicle ownership service – and integrated with the dealer’s DMS, so it automatically includes personalized service and repair information.  It also includes hundreds of proprietary articles and videos, community features, and information and reviews about new vehicles.  Customers receive customized emails such as service reminders (based on their service histories and OEM maintenance schedules), recall alerts and newsletters.  The solution also includes functionality developed by Dealer.com that enables dealers to automatically send promotional offers or coupons – adjusted based on the customer’s response over time – which are designed to improve search engine performance as well as service sales.   

 

In pilot stores, the solution has significantly enhanced dealer revenues and profitability by delivering a 12 percentage point improvement in recapturing “lost” customers; a 19 percentage point improvement in customer loyalty; and a 27% increase in customer service frequency.

 

About Dealer.com
Dealer.com is the global leader in online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, providing award winning e-marketing solutions to OEMs, auto dealers and media companies.  The company’s innovative websites and integrated online tools significantly lower the cost of customer acquisition, enhancing dealers’ efficiency and profitability. More dealerships use the Dealer.com platform than any other platform in the world. 

 

Recent national and international accolades include: Inc. magazine’s 2010 Top Small Company Workplaces and Inc. 5000, The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, top ranking in The Net Promoter® Score Survey of customer satisfaction, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 and the Web Marketing Association's Automobile Standard of Excellence. In addition, Dealer.com was the 2009 Top Rated Website Provider on DrivingSales.com, and won the 2010 Dealers' Choice Diamond Award for Best Website Solution and the 2009 Most Comprehensive Search Marketing Platform Award from the Automotive Search Marketing Association. For more information visit: http://www.dealer.com/promo/look-inside.htm

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

DealerHD Wins 2010 Peak Performance Automotive Website Award (AWA) For Search Marketing

(RUMSON, NJ) PCG Digital Marketing today announced that DealerHD (http://dealerhd.com) was chosen to receive a Peak Performance 2010 Automotive Website Award (AWA) for search marketing.  The awards were presented to the leading automotive website companies at the AWA breakfast ceremony in Las Vegas. The awards ceremony preceded the official start of the 9th Annual Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition.  DealerHD was chosen to receive the Peak Performance award for search marketing.

 

The Peak Performance award represents website companies that have the search marketing architecture and feature set that will provide their clients with a strong competitive advantage online. Peak Performance winners are members of an elite group, which represent platforms that will enable dealers to create an unfair competitive advantage in their local markets.

 

DealerHD websites impressed the AWA review panel with their compliance of best Search Marketing benchmarks and the Google search results presented by their inventory module. This is the first time DealerHD is being presented with an Automotive Website Award.

 

The 3rd annual Automotive Website Awards (AWA) were created by PCG Digital Marketing, recognized leaders in automotive digital marketing strategies.  For 2010, PCG Digital Marketing recognized the industry’s best website platforms across three different categories: design, technology and search marketing.

 

The Automotive Website Awards seek to provide car dealers with an unbiased evaluation of automotive website platforms and integrated search marketing tools.  The 2010 AWA study included a review of over 50 automotive website providers. 

 

This year’s published study includes 160 pages of valuable information regarding automotive website platform choices, search marketing performance, design and technology. The report is the industry’s reference guide for the best in automotive website technology and design.

 

To download a full PDF version of the Automotive Website Awards study, please go to www.automotivewebsiteawards.com/2010-AWA-whitepaper.pdf .

 

About the Brian Pasch and PCG Digital Marketing

Brian Pasch, CEO is a veteran marketing expert and a noted expert in the field of Automotive SEO and Automotive Digital Marketing. His career has spanned both management and technology roles.

 

He continues to lead research into Digital Marketing platforms. PCG continually tests new digital marketing strategies that can provide a cost effective channels for business advertising and lead generation.

 

PCG works for and with an ever-growing number of auto dealers and dealer groups from all over the country to maximize results of their digital marketing efforts.

 

For more information, visit http://www.automotivewebsiteawards.com

 

Contact PCG Digital Marketing

Carrie Hemphill

Media Contact

Carrie.hemphill@pcgdigitalmarketing.com

732-450-8200

http://www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com

 

 

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

Dealer eProcess Wins 2010 Pinnacle Automotive Website Award (AWA) For Search Marketing

(RUMSON, NJ) PCG Digital Marketing today announced that Dealer eProcess (http://www.dealereprocess.com) was chosen to receive a Pinnacle 2010 Automotive Website Award (AWA) for search marketing.  The awards were presented to the leading automotive website companies at the AWA breakfast ceremony in Las Vegas. The awards ceremony preceded the official start of the 9th Annual Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition.  Dealer eProcess was chosen to receive the Pinnacle award for search marketing.

 

The Pinnacle award is the highest recognition the AWA provides in the AWA Search Marketing category. The companies receiving this award have designed and delivered search compliant websites that stood above their peers. Pinnacle Platform winners deliver outstanding digital marketing platforms for car dealers and show an unprecedented attention to detail in live production. These automotive platforms reached the pinnacle for scoring in our AWA benchmarks and live testing, which demonstrates that these companies practice what they preach.

 

The websites created by Dealer eProcess were some of the most impressive that we reviewed in the Search Marketing category. Dealer e Process is returning to the awards podium for the second time after securing a 2009 ASMA Awards for Industry Leadership in last year in Search Marketing. Brian Pasch, CEO of PCG Digital Marketing stated “Dealer e Process websites set the bar this year. Our team sat through a two-hour presentation of the Dealer e Process website and related technology. This prompted one of our board members to announce; this is the best presentation that I have seen to date!”

 

The 3rd annual Automotive Website Awards (AWA) were created by PCG Digital Marketing, recognized leaders in automotive digital marketing strategies.  For 2010, PCG Digital Marketing recognized the industry’s best website platforms across three different categories: design, technology and search marketing.

 

The Automotive Website Awards seek to provide car dealers with an unbiased evaluation of automotive website platforms and integrated search marketing tools.  The 2010 AWA study included a review of over 50 automotive website providers. 

 

This year’s published study includes 160 pages of valuable information regarding automotive website platform choices, search marketing performance, design and technology. The report is the industry’s reference guide for the best in automotive website technology and design.

 

To download a full PDF version of the Automotive Website Awards study, please go to www.automotivewebsiteawards.com/2010-AWA-whitepaper.pdf .

 

About the Brian Pasch and PCG Digital Marketing

Brian Pasch, CEO is a veteran marketing expert and a noted expert in the field of Automotive SEO and Automotive Digital Marketing. His career has spanned both management and technology roles.

 

He continues to lead research into Digital Marketing platforms. PCG continually tests new digital marketing strategies that can provide a cost effective channels for business advertising and lead generation.

 

PCG works for and with an ever-growing number of auto dealers and dealer groups from all over the country to maximize results of their digital marketing efforts.

 

For more information, visit http://www.automotivewebsiteawards.com

 

Contact PCG Digital Marketing

Carrie Hemphill

Media Contact

Carrie.hemphill@pcgdigitalmarketing.com

732-450-8200

http://www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com

 

 

 

 

Press Release

DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

2010 DrivingSales Innovation Cup Finalists
We are excited to announce the finalists for the 2010 DrivingSales Innovation Cup. You are probably aware that the Innovation Cup is a contest to uncover the “Most Innovative Solution of the Year.”   It’s like American Idol for vendor solutions with dealers as judges.  
 
The six vendor finalists will give a timed 5-minute presentation on stage, in front of the whole audience at the DrivingSales Executive Summit. Three dealer judges will also be on stage and will have 4 minutes to question the vendor. When the buzzer goes off, the vendor’s time is up and the next finalist will come on stage. The dealers will score the solutions and a winner will receive the title of “The Most Innovative Solution of 2010.”   It’s a fun and exciting way to see some of the hottest new products to help dealers succeed!
 
Who was eligible to enter the Innovation Cup?
 
All dealership vendors were invited to submit their solutions at no charge, into the contest. To qualify, the solution must be brand new product or a significant enhancement to an existing product that launched (or will launch) in the 2010 year.
 
We received nearly 20 applicants describing some amazing innovations that promise to revolutionize our industry!
 
How the finalists were selected:
 
To keep the contest fair and dealer focused, we let actual dealers vote on the solutions they wanted to learn more about. However, we did not let the dealers know who they were judging; we deleted the company and product names out of each application. This way the finalists were selected on the merits of their innovation, not on the relationship or reputation a particular brand may have with the judges.
 
The Judges were given all the applications and asked to ignore the immediate needs of their store and to select the solutions they viewed as the most innovative and poised to dramatically change how dealers can succeed.
 
Who were the Judges? Judging Demographic:
 
Our judges represented each dealership department. We had a decision maker participate from the Finance, New Car, Used Car, Fixed Operations and Internet Departments.  In addition we had multiple Dealer Principles and General Managers vote in the judging.
 
Congratulations to the Six Finalists:
The following six solutions were selected by the judges to demo at the DrivingSales Executive Summit (in no particular order):
  • VinSolutions Website Dashboard
  • GOSO - Social Media Dashboard
  • Cobalt Digital Advertising Package
  • eCarlist True Target Mobile
  • VinSolutions VinLens
  • ResponseLogix SmartQuote
 
Whats Next? How do the Finals Work?
These finalists will all be on stage at the DSES to present their latest innovations under the pressure of the audience and the scrutiny our dealer judges.  All of the applicants are highly innovative. While in the process of voting on the solutions, one of our dealer judges stated, “I am two thirds of my way through the applications and I want almost all these products at my store!” 
 
Congrats to all the applicants, especially the finalists! We looking forward to seeing the finals play to in Vegas in next week!

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DrivingSales

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DrivingSales

Oct 10, 2010

Dealers Can Win Over $10,000 in Prizes for Most Innovative Strategies of 2010

 

Cobalt Sponsors DrivingSales Dealership Strategy Awards
to be presented at DrivingSales Executive Summit in October
 
 
Salt Lake City, Utah and Seattle, WA, October 7, 2010 – DrivingSales.com (www.drivingsales.com), the auto industry’s largest car dealer social network and Cobalt, the leading provider of digital marketing solutions to the automotive industry, today announced that US dealerships are eligible to win over $10,000 in prizes for the most innovative strategies of 2010, thanks to Cobalt’s title sponsorship of the first annual DrivingSales Dealership Strategy Awards.
 
“We are proud to have the opportunity to recognize and reward those dealers whose new approaches are literally changing the way we all do business,” said John Holt, Cobalt’s Founder, and former CEO and currently the Senior Vice President of ADP’s Digital Group. “At Cobalt, we know that product innovation starts with the creative thinkers on the ground at the dealership, and we are pleased to be able to join forces with DrivingSales to not only recognize these cutting-edge practitioners, but to help share their insights and strategies throughout the dealer community.”
 
The DrivingSales Dealership Strategy Award, sponsored by Cobalt is designed to uncover the most innovative dealership strategies of 2010.   Forward-thinking dealership employees are encouraged to participate and submit a best practice that has proven to increase results. A panel of judges will select five finalists, who will then have the opportunity to present their strategies to dealer attendees at the DrivingSales Executive Summit and compete for $10,000 in prizes. The finalist whose strategy receives the most votes from dealership attendees will win the award for the Most Innovative Dealership Strategy of 2010. Applications are available at www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup.
 
“A true digital pioneer, Cobalt continues to innovate to help dealerships increase their profitability, which is why we are so proud that they are sponsoring this important award, which inspires dealers to share their successful strategies within the community,” said Jared Hamilton, DrivingSales’ Founder and CEO. “With nearly half of US dealerships as Cobalt customers, few solution providers are as attuned as Cobalt to the needs and challenges dealerships face in the recovery economy - or the power of innovation inside the dealership to meet those challenges.”
 
For more information about the Dealership Strategy Award sponsored by Cobalt, and to submit an online application, go to www.drivingsales.com/innovationcup. There is no charge to apply. Only dealership employees are eligible. For more information about the DrivingSales Executive Summit, visit DrivingSalesExecutiveSummit.com or contact dses@drivingsales.com.
 
About Cobalt

Cobalt is North America's leading provider of digital marketing solutions to the automotive industry. Cobalt currently provides marketing services to nearly half of the automotive dealerships in the United States as well as automotive dealers in Canada and Mexico. Cobalt's digital marketing services are endorsed by two-thirds of the world's major automotive manufacturers.  Cobalt is a business unit of ADP Dealer Services, which provides integrated computing solutions to over 25,000 auto, truck, motorcycle, Powersports, and recreational vehicle dealers throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. www.cobalt.com
 
About DrivingSales Executive Summit 2010 presented with WardsAuto.com
A uniquely collaborative event modeled after the best practices and information-sharing among dealers and auto industry professionals on DrivingSales.com, the DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES) brings together the most successful and innovative dealers in the country, along with world-renowned speakers, all focused on dealership innovations and profitability. All dealership vendors and dealership employees can apply for the awards, which will be voted on and presented for the first time at the 2010 DSES.
 
Unlike other automotive industry events, the DrivingSales Executive Summit is 100% dealer driven and designed specifically for the most progressive dealer principals and dealership executives in the industry.   For more information, visit DrivingSalesExecutiveSummit.com or contact dses@drivingsales.com. Follow conference news as it develops on www.twitter.com/drivingsales.
 
About DrivingSales.com
DrivingSales.com is the largest car dealer social network where thousands of dealership professionals collaborate and share best practices in a 20-group style setting. The site is the industry’s largest source of free dealership best practices information.
 
At DrivingSales, members create profiles, network with each other and share best practices. Dealership managers are allowed to rate and review their dealership vendors (http://www.drivingsales.com/ratings) in a verified setting. DrivingSales hosts the largest retail focused community of automotive blogs (http://www.drivingsales.com/blogs/), videos, interviews, social automotive news feeds and more.
 
DrivingSales was created and built from the ground up in 2003 by Jared Hamilton, a third generation auto dealer, as a private automotive business community to network his NADA Dealer Candidate Academy class. The site opened nationally in 2008 and is the industry’s leading automotive social media custom platform. DrivingSales was named one of ten social media gambits for 2009 by Automotive News and one of the Top 10 Companies to Watch by Auto Success Magazine.
 
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

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