My wife recently decided it was high time to get a pet dog for the family. I had been delaying this decision since my wife and I first moved in together (years and years ago). I just wasn’t ready for the responsibility. (And, on top of that, I’m allergic). Nonetheless, almost 15 years and two sons later, I acquiesced and began researching a suitable breed. Long story short, we decided upon a Havanese. We researched breeders, investigated, awaited a litter, and picked up our new puppy.  Cute as can be, I realize that this ball of hair will be essential to the growth and development of my children. But these first few weeks have been a lot of work.

To tie this together, I was recently honored to have been hired by Jacuzzi corporate to speak at their International conference on the subject matters of lead management and process improvement. Even though I was the one to be dispensing knowledge onto the audience of franchise owners and manufacturer reps, I was able to walk away with my mind swimming with ideas as well. I was intrigued by a simple statement from Jacuzzi’s Director of Advertising and Digital Marketing, Martin Borsanyi, during his session on social media. He said “Social Media is free like a puppy is free.” I can say first hand that this statement hit home. Literally. 

Any corporation can have a social networking account the same way anyone can adopt a dog. It just takes doing it. Sure, breeders charge an arm and a leg the same way a social media management firm does for their set-up costs, but relatively speaking, you can do it on the cheap yourself. However, if you want to get the most out of your puppy (let’s name her Social Media), then you are going to have to invest a decent amount of money and a lot more time.

Social Media the Puppy requires time for training. Not only does the puppy need training, but you need training on the puppy. You have to spend time with it so it doesn’t get lonely. You have to work with it ongoing if you want to see results in its behavior. You need to dedicate money to its collars, food, and grooming, just as you do to its promoting of posts, PPC campaigns, and FB dark posts. To do it right, you have to spend some money. To be the best owner of Social Media the puppy you can be, you have to give it a fair amount of attention.

It needs to run.
It can’t just sleep all day.
You need to feed it posts, tweets, links, Likes and comments.
You need to listen to its barking notifications, and respond accordingly.
Social Media is a new member of the family, and regardless of what you think of the channel, it is in its infancy. Social Media is the 80 lb black Labrador puppy that is too big to act like one. It still needs to learn its way, and it will break things in the meantime.

​Social Media the puppy is a ton of work. If you aren’t giving it attention, money, and time, you aren’t going to like how it behaves when full grown. You’ll never have control, and you’ll never have full ownership of it.  Treat it the way a young puppy deserves to be treated, and you’ll have a friend and companion for life.

Are you ready to follow in the footsteps of the Monsters of the Midway?
Is it in your best interest to run your dealership like the Chicago Bears runs their team?
Is it time to “Bear Down”?
The answer is Yes… and not just because I’m a Bears fan.

Much like the Chicago Bears, your dealership likely is a storied franchise. In this analogy, the OEM is like the NFL, providing policies, guidelines, and rules to adhere to in an effort to remain a viable brand. And your dealership operates under this umbrella. You, as a corporation, have a history. A story. You have decades of faithful fans. The Chicago Bears is the NFL’s oldest team (originally the Decatur Staleys) and many dealerships have a similar longevity among their community. Maybe not to the tune of 95 years, but some of you aren’t too far off. You’ve made an impact in your town and you desire to continue your winning (or surviving) ways.

The Bears are not the best franchise. As a fan, I must admit this. Still, they are my favorite team. Like many dealerships, the Bears don’t always have the best ownership. Sure, the history of a dealership may shine a little dimmer without a renowned leader the likes of Papa Bear George Halas, but most are owned by an individual or family that carries with them a reputation. Like most dealerships, the Bears rarely have the best management or coaches. Almost never are their players the most talented or physically gifted. But damn it if they don’t try to win every single time.

I believe the Bears have the biggest hearts, and they bring that intensity to the field the same way automotive professionals should be trying to succeed every day on the showroom floor and service drive. The Bears try harder. They hit harder. They hurt more when they lose. And all you can ever ask of anyone on your team is to TRY. And to never stop trying. To take what they do personally and to leave it all out on the field. Or, to quote every over-used sport soliloquy, your team should be like the Bears because they always seem to be giving 100% effort. And that is what has made them legendary.

Your dealership could learn something from the Chicago Bears.

But history, legacy, work ethic, teamwork, “super fans”, and desire can only get a team so far. Inevitably, it takes critical thinking and analysis. So I was excited to see the headlines recently when the Chicago Bears hired a Director of Analytics. This is nothing new. “Moneyball” has been bandied about by sports organizations for years. The Chicago Bears aren’t the first to dive into this philosophy. And you wouldn’t be the first dealer either to hire someone with this sole job responsibility. But you can be like the Bears by finally coming around to the idea. The Director of Analytics was a newly created position for their organization. The individual they hired, Mitchell Tanney, is responsible for identifying, extracting and analyzing data to support decisions for both in-game situations and personnel evaluation in an effort to predict future outcomes.

Listen to the General Manager of the Chicago Bears, Phil Emery, and try to tell me this position doesn’t make sense for your dealership. Emery said, “We needed somebody with an expertise in filtering through subsets of data to make sense of them in terms of which pieces are important and which pieces can be put together to give a clearer picture of projecting performance, whether it’s on the field or in scouting projecting players moving forward.” I don’t need to connect the dots for you.

There is a vast amount of data at your dealership’s fingertips. But all of that is worthless if you don’t have someone who can see the digits, convert them into trends, and enact changes in the company’s operations that will help them improve. Making decisions based on gut reactions can only get you so far. Making decisions based on cold, hard facts get you even farther. You aren’t in this industry to have an 8-8 record every month. You’re in this industry to always be in the playoffs, and to strive for the trophy. To do this, you’re going to seriously need to consider hiring a numbers-cruncher.

The change is already happening. While I’ve joked that every vendor and their brother was trying to sell “social media management” over the past couple of years, if you walked through the exhibit halls at the most recent digital automotive conferences, the biggest trend was “Dashboards”. Many vendors seem focused on aggregating all important data for a dealership into one portal/dashboard/platform/buzzword. Some were actually dynamic, fresh, and valuable.  Others were underwhelming and ill-conceived.  Nonetheless, the metrics dealers are generating (and ignoring) can be their salvation.  But having the data isn’t enough. You must be using it to change your processes, marketing, methods, and structures. The data is too valuable to just throw it into the lap of an Internet Director. Someone with a history of selling cars online and one semester online at University of Phoenix under their belt isn’t likely the candidate to be analyzing data and finding opportunities for growth. Your service tech, with all their certifications and advanced knowledge of mechanics, is still probably not the best person to drive a million dollar race car. A former quarterback is not always the best coach. You must put the valuable data into the hands of someone who can harness that power and convert it into performance.

It is time to think about the personnel on your team. Do you have specialists? Do you have that playmaker that can put your team over the top in the division? This is a brutal and vicious game we’re in, and we need to be leveraging every ounce of energy we have to be the best at it. Like the Chicago Bears, we won’t always win, but hell if we don’t give it our all while we’re on the field. Go Bears.

Are you ready to follow in the footsteps of the Monsters of the Midway?
Is it in your best interest to run your dealership like the Chicago Bears runs their team?
Is it time to “Bear Down”?
The answer is Yes… and not just because I’m a Bears fan.

Much like the Chicago Bears, your dealership likely is a storied franchise. In this analogy, the OEM is like the NFL, providing policies, guidelines, and rules to adhere to in an effort to remain a viable brand. And your dealership operates under this umbrella. You, as a corporation, have a history. A story. You have decades of faithful fans. The Chicago Bears is the NFL’s oldest team (originally the Decatur Staleys) and many dealerships have a similar longevity among their community. Maybe not to the tune of 95 years, but some of you aren’t too far off. You’ve made an impact in your town and you desire to continue your winning (or surviving) ways.

The Bears are not the best franchise. As a fan, I must admit this. Still, they are my favorite team. Like many dealerships, the Bears don’t always have the best ownership. Sure, the history of a dealership may shine a little dimmer without a renowned leader the likes of Papa Bear George Halas, but most are owned by an individual or family that carries with them a reputation. Like most dealerships, the Bears rarely have the best management or coaches. Almost never are their players the most talented or physically gifted. But damn it if they don’t try to win every single time.

I believe the Bears have the biggest hearts, and they bring that intensity to the field the same way automotive professionals should be trying to succeed every day on the showroom floor and service drive. The Bears try harder. They hit harder. They hurt more when they lose. And all you can ever ask of anyone on your team is to TRY. And to never stop trying. To take what they do personally and to leave it all out on the field. Or, to quote every over-used sport soliloquy, your team should be like the Bears because they always seem to be giving 100% effort. And that is what has made them legendary.

Your dealership could learn something from the Chicago Bears.

But history, legacy, work ethic, teamwork, “super fans”, and desire can only get a team so far. Inevitably, it takes critical thinking and analysis. So I was excited to see the headlines recently when the Chicago Bears hired a Director of Analytics. This is nothing new. “Moneyball” has been bandied about by sports organizations for years. The Chicago Bears aren’t the first to dive into this philosophy. And you wouldn’t be the first dealer either to hire someone with this sole job responsibility. But you can be like the Bears by finally coming around to the idea. The Director of Analytics was a newly created position for their organization. The individual they hired, Mitchell Tanney, is responsible for identifying, extracting and analyzing data to support decisions for both in-game situations and personnel evaluation in an effort to predict future outcomes.

Listen to the General Manager of the Chicago Bears, Phil Emery, and try to tell me this position doesn’t make sense for your dealership. Emery said, “We needed somebody with an expertise in filtering through subsets of data to make sense of them in terms of which pieces are important and which pieces can be put together to give a clearer picture of projecting performance, whether it’s on the field or in scouting projecting players moving forward.” I don’t need to connect the dots for you.

There is a vast amount of data at your dealership’s fingertips. But all of that is worthless if you don’t have someone who can see the digits, convert them into trends, and enact changes in the company’s operations that will help them improve. Making decisions based on gut reactions can only get you so far. Making decisions based on cold, hard facts get you even farther. You aren’t in this industry to have an 8-8 record every month. You’re in this industry to always be in the playoffs, and to strive for the trophy. To do this, you’re going to seriously need to consider hiring a numbers-cruncher.

The change is already happening. While I’ve joked that every vendor and their brother was trying to sell “social media management” over the past couple of years, if you walked through the exhibit halls at the most recent digital automotive conferences, the biggest trend was “Dashboards”. Many vendors seem focused on aggregating all important data for a dealership into one portal/dashboard/platform/buzzword. Some were actually dynamic, fresh, and valuable.  Others were underwhelming and ill-conceived.  Nonetheless, the metrics dealers are generating (and ignoring) can be their salvation.  But having the data isn’t enough. You must be using it to change your processes, marketing, methods, and structures. The data is too valuable to just throw it into the lap of an Internet Director. Someone with a history of selling cars online and one semester online at University of Phoenix under their belt isn’t likely the candidate to be analyzing data and finding opportunities for growth. Your service tech, with all their certifications and advanced knowledge of mechanics, is still probably not the best person to drive a million dollar race car. A former quarterback is not always the best coach. You must put the valuable data into the hands of someone who can harness that power and convert it into performance.

It is time to think about the personnel on your team. Do you have specialists? Do you have that playmaker that can put your team over the top in the division? This is a brutal and vicious game we’re in, and we need to be leveraging every ounce of energy we have to be the best at it. Like the Chicago Bears, we won’t always win, but hell if we don’t give it our all while we’re on the field. Go Bears.

Social media is an important part of a corporation’s marketing mix when executed correctly. Businesses are recognizing the value of engaging consumers on social sites, promoting goodwill, having an online ambassador for their brands, and sharing quality content. Companies are dedicating these “social” responsibilities to others in their ranks, and, in turn, Social Media Management, in some locations, has developed into their own fully-realized positions.

In automotive dealerships, for instance, the tasks to develop a presence on social media have been primarily thrust upon their Internet Directors and Internet Sales team members. As these employees dedicate their time to these online sites, however, they often skirt their other responsibilities. Let’s face it… Facebook is fun. Instagram is fun. Twitter is fun. Vine can be even more fun. However, it is also difficult for a dealer to justify having a full-time person dedicated to the management of these sites. It is hard to account for the return from time invested on social networks, yet Internet professionals are enamored with the prospect of making it their full-time effort.

You see, Internet Directors like their social media responsibilities for three reasons:

1. Determining success rates on social media prowess is more subjective than, say, a BDC’s total appointment show rate.
2. It is a welcome break from the daily grind of phone call handling, lead handling, report crunching, and IT snafus.
3. It is a playground where they already enjoy spending their free time.

And that is the rub. Social media can be very beneficial to a company’s marketing efforts, but posting memes should rarely take time-precedence over handling inbound sales opportunities. These Internet Directors and ISMs that have been fulfilling their showroom/phone/sales duties for years often prefer to the unstructured nature of managing a Facebook page or Twitter account, so they wonder “Why can’t I get paid just to sit on Facebook all day?” They attempt to justify the need against their common sense, “If social media is SO important, why can’t I do it full-time?” Truth is, some can (and should) while others shouldn’t.

Having clients with their own Social Media Ambassadors for their stores, I see some that really get it. They dedicate their time to…

• Opening up these social portals as their own mediums with which to engage, friend, and support others
• Read up on best practices and actively find new ways to implement them
• Focus on social metrics
• Understand the nooks and crannies (and reporting tools) with each site
• Listen online for conversations in which to insert themselves
• Explore trending social apps such as Vine and Instagram
• Leave their desk to engage on-site customers and create fresh digital media from those encounters
• Survey consumers
• Generate buy-in by educating coworkers
• Shoot relevant videos
• Incorporate the company’s marketing autonomously
• And plan endlessly

Unfortunately, there are those that don’t get it. They don’t understand how to get the most out of their social media positions. Instead of all the tasks above, they foolishly…

• Think it’s all about posting
• Read other’s updates and posts without ever engaging
• Converse with other industry friends rather than their own customers
• Forget to celebrate their company’s own employees
• Take an hour to build an unnecessary meme
• Believe a Like, comment, or retweet signifies a job well-done
• Consider all followers equal (whether they’ve done business with them for 10 years or if they live in Bangladesh…all the same)
• (Worst of all) Waste time screwing around on their own personal pages, reading friends’ updates rather than the company site.

That last one… that is the one that sticks in my craw the most and THAT is why I don’t always trust those asking “Why Can’t I Get Paid to Just Sit on Facebook All Day?” Most shouldn’t, because they don’t have the drive, the desire to learn, or the discipline to use the time for the good of the company rather than for themselves. They wrongly spend their work time on Facebook for personal reasons, but they have never spent their personal time on Facebook for business reasons. If that is the case, that candidate is the last person you want handling your corporation’s social marketing.

Before you hire a full-time Social Media Manager, or restructure a current employee’s job description to focus solely on this, make sure you have someone capable to doing the job to the level it deserves to be done. Not just the way the candidate wants to do it. If they’ve already been managing your social efforts in another role, demand to see the results before you turn them loose full-time on it. Social media can be profitable for a corporation, but not if the person managing their efforts is just playing at it.

Social media is an important part of a corporation’s marketing mix when executed correctly. Businesses are recognizing the value of engaging consumers on social sites, promoting goodwill, having an online ambassador for their brands, and sharing quality content. Companies are dedicating these “social” responsibilities to others in their ranks, and, in turn, Social Media Management, in some locations, has developed into their own fully-realized positions.

In automotive dealerships, for instance, the tasks to develop a presence on social media have been primarily thrust upon their Internet Directors and Internet Sales team members. As these employees dedicate their time to these online sites, however, they often skirt their other responsibilities. Let’s face it… Facebook is fun. Instagram is fun. Twitter is fun. Vine can be even more fun. However, it is also difficult for a dealer to justify having a full-time person dedicated to the management of these sites. It is hard to account for the return from time invested on social networks, yet Internet professionals are enamored with the prospect of making it their full-time effort.

You see, Internet Directors like their social media responsibilities for three reasons:

1. Determining success rates on social media prowess is more subjective than, say, a BDC’s total appointment show rate.
2. It is a welcome break from the daily grind of phone call handling, lead handling, report crunching, and IT snafus.
3. It is a playground where they already enjoy spending their free time.

And that is the rub. Social media can be very beneficial to a company’s marketing efforts, but posting memes should rarely take time-precedence over handling inbound sales opportunities. These Internet Directors and ISMs that have been fulfilling their showroom/phone/sales duties for years often prefer to the unstructured nature of managing a Facebook page or Twitter account, so they wonder “Why can’t I get paid just to sit on Facebook all day?” They attempt to justify the need against their common sense, “If social media is SO important, why can’t I do it full-time?” Truth is, some can (and should) while others shouldn’t.

Having clients with their own Social Media Ambassadors for their stores, I see some that really get it. They dedicate their time to…

• Opening up these social portals as their own mediums with which to engage, friend, and support others
• Read up on best practices and actively find new ways to implement them
• Focus on social metrics
• Understand the nooks and crannies (and reporting tools) with each site
• Listen online for conversations in which to insert themselves
• Explore trending social apps such as Vine and Instagram
• Leave their desk to engage on-site customers and create fresh digital media from those encounters
• Survey consumers
• Generate buy-in by educating coworkers
• Shoot relevant videos
• Incorporate the company’s marketing autonomously
• And plan endlessly

Unfortunately, there are those that don’t get it. They don’t understand how to get the most out of their social media positions. Instead of all the tasks above, they foolishly…

• Think it’s all about posting
• Read other’s updates and posts without ever engaging
• Converse with other industry friends rather than their own customers
• Forget to celebrate their company’s own employees
• Take an hour to build an unnecessary meme
• Believe a Like, comment, or retweet signifies a job well-done
• Consider all followers equal (whether they’ve done business with them for 10 years or if they live in Bangladesh…all the same)
• (Worst of all) Waste time screwing around on their own personal pages, reading friends’ updates rather than the company site.

That last one… that is the one that sticks in my craw the most and THAT is why I don’t always trust those asking “Why Can’t I Get Paid to Just Sit on Facebook All Day?” Most shouldn’t, because they don’t have the drive, the desire to learn, or the discipline to use the time for the good of the company rather than for themselves. They wrongly spend their work time on Facebook for personal reasons, but they have never spent their personal time on Facebook for business reasons. If that is the case, that candidate is the last person you want handling your corporation’s social marketing.

Before you hire a full-time Social Media Manager, or restructure a current employee’s job description to focus solely on this, make sure you have someone capable to doing the job to the level it deserves to be done. Not just the way the candidate wants to do it. If they’ve already been managing your social efforts in another role, demand to see the results before you turn them loose full-time on it. Social media can be profitable for a corporation, but not if the person managing their efforts is just playing at it.

The dealership sales process has the ability to evolve into a more sophisticated, frictionless business if only it weren’t for our collective hesitation. One theme I see playing over and over at dealerships are the constant impasses that occur from one owner or manager being unwilling to make a decision.

These impasses slow down productivity, stunt growth, turn away technological advancement and more. They can hurt morale, frustrate customers, and lead to losing of market share. We live in a world where competition is necessary and moving forward is akin to breathing.

Impasses can take shape in the form of a CRM not being adopted, a website not being replaced, a conversion tool not being deployed, or a marketing strategy not given a chance. These impasses hurt the opportunities the dealership has to evolve. And they occur because someone high up is afraid to make a decision. Or they believe it’d be “too much work”, or “too much money”. If just one sales manager doesn’t have the intelligence to grasp a forward-thinking concept, they put up a road block to its inception. They play devil’s advocate and combat it until it goes away.

And for this reason, the dealership goes nowhere fast. They teeter on the brink of their own mediocrity. They don’t do excellent and they don’t do terrible. It’s like running on a treadmill. You know you’re still working, but you are missing all the wonderful things outside your comfort zone.

Dealers must adopt faster. Push farther. Get uncomfortable with some of their decisions. Don’t let something “play out”. Make the change. Make the switch. Hire the company. Lead the pack. Sitting on your hands and NOT making a decision is very much a decision in its own right. It means you don’t have the guts to take a chance to be better.

The dealership sales process has the ability to evolve into a more sophisticated, frictionless business if only it weren’t for our collective hesitation. One theme I see playing over and over at dealerships are the constant impasses that occur from one owner or manager being unwilling to make a decision.

These impasses slow down productivity, stunt growth, turn away technological advancement and more. They can hurt morale, frustrate customers, and lead to losing of market share. We live in a world where competition is necessary and moving forward is akin to breathing.

Impasses can take shape in the form of a CRM not being adopted, a website not being replaced, a conversion tool not being deployed, or a marketing strategy not given a chance. These impasses hurt the opportunities the dealership has to evolve. And they occur because someone high up is afraid to make a decision. Or they believe it’d be “too much work”, or “too much money”. If just one sales manager doesn’t have the intelligence to grasp a forward-thinking concept, they put up a road block to its inception. They play devil’s advocate and combat it until it goes away.

And for this reason, the dealership goes nowhere fast. They teeter on the brink of their own mediocrity. They don’t do excellent and they don’t do terrible. It’s like running on a treadmill. You know you’re still working, but you are missing all the wonderful things outside your comfort zone.

Dealers must adopt faster. Push farther. Get uncomfortable with some of their decisions. Don’t let something “play out”. Make the change. Make the switch. Hire the company. Lead the pack. Sitting on your hands and NOT making a decision is very much a decision in its own right. It means you don’t have the guts to take a chance to be better.

There is very little special about your dealership. You believe that consumers feel the same way about you that you feel about yourself. Unfortunately, most dealerships look the same from the outside. And they look the same to the public with their offerings. You’re no different than the dealer down the street. yet one of you is a leader and the other is a follower. Why?

You make claims that people choose you because of your “customer service”, but you can’t explain how that is different than what the dealer down the street offers. Your nearest competitor has the same friendly salespeople as you. They too are “family owned and operated”. You both can acquire the same vehicles with identical features in the same amount of time. Even your dealerships’ value propositions are similar.

There has been much talk about brand. And when I say “brand”, I’m not speaking about the OEM. I’m speaking of your dealership brand. For years, you’ve been urged to create “Why Buys” about your store. You’ve pushed to garner reviews. You’ve been told to separate yourself and offer benefits to customers that others don’t. Alas, everyone has heard the same thing and now everyone is following suit.

Paul Potratz of Potratz Advertising Agency concurs, “When a business has no unique selling proposition, the only thing that separates them from their competitors is how loud they can yell.  In other words, the amount of spend in their advertising budget.  When a business develops a Unique Selling Proposition that is customer-focused and consistent, they can spend less in advertising.  A customer-focused value proposition is one of the hardest things for a business since it often becomes “Me” focused.  If your value proposition has anything to do with your business, how long you have been in business or how many awards you have won, it loses the value to the future client.”

Why Buys won’t separate you from your competitors. Value propositions won’t differentiate you from them either. Being family owned and operated doesn’t carry with it what we want to believe it does. All of these together don’t make you stand out in a crowd. Do you know what does? Advertising.

In the corresponding picture, you can see that there is little difference between these products. (Probably similar to how your local residents feel about their choices of auto dealers). They are named the same. They have reasonably similar sizes, shapes, and look. What’s inside is pretty much the same…sugary sweetness with lacquered on powdered frosting to be consumed with milk. Do you know what separates these two products? Advertising.

As an agent pushing toward the change of Internet marketing, it isn’t often we at DealerKnows Consulting proselytize about the importance of advertising, but it is insanely necessary. Everyone has a website. Everyone is buying leads. Everyone is marketing to consumers, trying to spark interest. However, so very few advertise their Why Buys, their value propositions, their people (think about that one for a second), and their involvement in the community and relevant topics. It’s not enough just to know who you are as a dealership, though few actually do. Check out Bill Playford's breakdown on how to create a Value Proposition.  You need to tell, show, say and promote (read: advertise) who you are.

You don’t want to be the Fruit Hoops (the famously-redundant, knock off to Froot Loops).  You don’t want to be the runner-up when it comes to awareness in your community. You need to make sure you’re advertising your dealership brand. Those advertising their brand the biggest have a tendency to be most memorable. And it must be advertised across all mediums, outlets, and resources. Otherwise, people will never taste how deliciously yummy your offerings may be. It’s time to stop talking about what it’s like to sit comfortably on a shelf and start talking about how to fly off the shelves.

There is very little special about your dealership. You believe that consumers feel the same way about you that you feel about yourself. Unfortunately, most dealerships look the same from the outside. And they look the same to the public with their offerings. You’re no different than the dealer down the street. yet one of you is a leader and the other is a follower. Why?

You make claims that people choose you because of your “customer service”, but you can’t explain how that is different than what the dealer down the street offers. Your nearest competitor has the same friendly salespeople as you. They too are “family owned and operated”. You both can acquire the same vehicles with identical features in the same amount of time. Even your dealerships’ value propositions are similar.

There has been much talk about brand. And when I say “brand”, I’m not speaking about the OEM. I’m speaking of your dealership brand. For years, you’ve been urged to create “Why Buys” about your store. You’ve pushed to garner reviews. You’ve been told to separate yourself and offer benefits to customers that others don’t. Alas, everyone has heard the same thing and now everyone is following suit.

Paul Potratz of Potratz Advertising Agency concurs, “When a business has no unique selling proposition, the only thing that separates them from their competitors is how loud they can yell.  In other words, the amount of spend in their advertising budget.  When a business develops a Unique Selling Proposition that is customer-focused and consistent, they can spend less in advertising.  A customer-focused value proposition is one of the hardest things for a business since it often becomes “Me” focused.  If your value proposition has anything to do with your business, how long you have been in business or how many awards you have won, it loses the value to the future client.”

Why Buys won’t separate you from your competitors. Value propositions won’t differentiate you from them either. Being family owned and operated doesn’t carry with it what we want to believe it does. All of these together don’t make you stand out in a crowd. Do you know what does? Advertising.

In the corresponding picture, you can see that there is little difference between these products. (Probably similar to how your local residents feel about their choices of auto dealers). They are named the same. They have reasonably similar sizes, shapes, and look. What’s inside is pretty much the same…sugary sweetness with lacquered on powdered frosting to be consumed with milk. Do you know what separates these two products? Advertising.

As an agent pushing toward the change of Internet marketing, it isn’t often we at DealerKnows Consulting proselytize about the importance of advertising, but it is insanely necessary. Everyone has a website. Everyone is buying leads. Everyone is marketing to consumers, trying to spark interest. However, so very few advertise their Why Buys, their value propositions, their people (think about that one for a second), and their involvement in the community and relevant topics. It’s not enough just to know who you are as a dealership, though few actually do. Check out Bill Playford's breakdown on how to create a Value Proposition.  You need to tell, show, say and promote (read: advertise) who you are.

You don’t want to be the Fruit Hoops (the famously-redundant, knock off to Froot Loops).  You don’t want to be the runner-up when it comes to awareness in your community. You need to make sure you’re advertising your dealership brand. Those advertising their brand the biggest have a tendency to be most memorable. And it must be advertised across all mediums, outlets, and resources. Otherwise, people will never taste how deliciously yummy your offerings may be. It’s time to stop talking about what it’s like to sit comfortably on a shelf and start talking about how to fly off the shelves.

"Always Be Branding" ~ a mantra from the minds of Joe Webb and Bill Playford of DealerKnows Consulting

There is a famous line spewed melodically from the lips of Alec Baldwin in the genius sales film known as GlenGarry Glen Ross that most car folks can recite. “A B C – Always Be Closing!” This was the key message that Baldwin’s character challenged the sales team with before he gave them the ultimatum. If they were the best in sales, they win… “first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody wanna see second prize? … Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third place is you’re fired.”

This has become a mantra for thousands of sales managers across the country. “A-B-C. Always Be Closing.” They preach the goal that a sale should always be front and center in your mind during every interaction. Unfortunately, this no longer is the case. Much like the movie based on David Mamet’s awesome stage play, this mantra has gotten a little older too. While Baldwin himself has stayed relevant over the years, this catchy mantra has passed its prime. So with that, DealerKnows (with the help of a young Alec Baldwin) brings you a new, more enlightened mantra. A-B-B. Always Be Branding.

Imagine during your weekly rah-rah meeting, your manager presented you with a fistful of paper leads? You’d probably have to suppress laughter. The world has moved on. Finding all of the information you need to make a sensible purchase decision can be found right online. Your best leads come right from your own website, or better yet, are emailed from your previous clients. People have already made a decision to buy before they even contact you. It’s now up to you to not mess it up.

The sale is no longer only made in face-to-face meetings. Deals are not won and lost based on a handshake over a three-martini lunch. The customer isn’t making their decision based on an interaction in-store (though a great customer experience helps). No. The marketplace has shifted online and it is your branding that either influences shoppers toward you or a lack of online brand presence that will make you less relevant in their eyes.

An entire generation has grown up with brands that are not just trademarks, but interactive entities. Look no further than Red Bull. In just 25 years the company went from formulating an energy drink to owning five soccer teams, two Formula One racing teams, a record label, sponsor countless athletes, and recently spun-off a critically acclaimed marketing wing. They now sell 4.5 billion cans of Red Bull a year, nipping away at the heels of Coke and Pepsi.

A-B-B. Always Be Branding. In everything you do. In every marketing dollar spent, every entity online, every email cent, every handshake at a chamber of commerce luncheon… you no longer have to sell. You just have to brand yourself or be able to deliver a clear brand message. Make people want to BUY FROM YOU (your people, your company, your value proposition, your deliverables) based on your brand. You are what is important. Selling is now a step down the road. Branding comes first. If you don’t realize that A-B-B mantra IS the new Glengarry lead of this generation, prepare for Alec Baldwin to give you some new cutlery. Or your walking papers.