So, I’m curious, how much is your dealership paying per month to have your website maintained and hosted? I have created a poll HERE in our forums where you can indicate how much you spend, and you can also share your thoughts on the topic.

After we a get a few replies, I will post up some of the low cost providers that I came across.  Be sure to participate in the poll now.

Anybody who knows me personally knows that I am a big Trans Am fan. In fact, I own a 1998 WS6 convertible. So, while I may be biased towards Firebirds vs. Camaros, I think that this continues with the tradition of Trans Am having superior styling over the Camaro.  To me, TA’s  have always had a badder, meaner, more ready-to-kick-your-ass look to them.  For example, the ram air hood scoops on the 4th-gen WS6’s are, to me, one of the most impressive styling characteristics of all time (they’re functional, too).

While I truly like the design of this new TA, I am still biased towards my 4th-generation TA over this retro design.

Leave a comment letting me know what you think of the 2010 Trans Am. Or, better yet, join the discussion of the 2010 Trans Am and Camaro on the forums. There is even a poll in which you can vote for your favorite.

Who are “these guys” that I speak of?  They call themselves Chicago Cars Direct, LLC.  Sure, I could go on and on and write a big, long post about the outstanding way that they conduct their business…from their photos, to their pricing, to their videos, to their use of technology…but their work speaks for itself.  And, if that’s not enough to convince you that this is the kind of stuff that your customers want, check out their e-bay and YouTube feedback.  They are giving their customers the exact buying experience that they want.

Take a peak into the future that is now:  ChicagoCarsDirect.com

I’d like to hear your feedback on these guys.  Convince me that what they’re doing is just a trend, or a fad, that is going to go away like the rest of the Internet (that’s what some car dealers were saying 10 years ago).  Better yet, post up some of the unique, new, innovative things that your dealership has done in the past year.  I’ve started the discussion HERE.

Thank you for visiting!

We are very excited to bring you this brand new and valuable resource!

As you can see on the right side on this page, we have tried to include some very helpful information and links related to the automotive industry.  Content in those columns is updated at least once per day, so we encourage you to check back often.

The section that you are reading right now will be used for us to post up relevant content such as important or interesting articles, our very own observations and insights, articles or observations contributed by one of our  many connections within the automotive industry (contact us if you would like to be a contributor), and important site updates and information.  Additionally, you may leave comments on any of the articles posted in this section.

We feel that the most important resource on our site is our forums.  In these troubling times, it is more important than ever for dealers to band together and to share ideas and best practices in an open, professional environment.  That is exactly what our forums provide.  You no longer need to wait for your annual “20 group” meeting to connect with your fellow dealers.  By building a strong community of automotive professionals, both dealers and vendors, the industry as a whole stands to gain from the community’s exchange of ideas and knowledge.

I strongly encourage you to join and participate in our forums on a regular basis.  Nowhere else can you have the same real-time interaction with other dealers and vendors.  By openly sharing ideas about which practices, programs, and systems work best for them, all dealers involved in the discussions stand to gain.

Being that we are brand new, the amount of members and discussions on the forums are, of course,  limited.  By helping to spread the word about this site and our forums, you are doing a service to the entire industry.  We thank you in advance for letting your fellow automotive professional friends, co-workers, and/or customers know about CarBizOnline.com.

This site was built with the help and input of automotive professionals at all levels.  We welcome any and all continued support and input from you, our fellow dealers and vendors.

Be certain to bookmark this site and check back often.

We look forward to connecting and  interacting with you in our forums.  Thank you again for visiting!

Jason Breck

P.S.  Leave us a comment letting us know that you stopped by and telling us what you think of the new site.

P.S.S.  Since we’re just getting started, we’re still ironing out some of the wrinkles, and trying to kill a few of the remaining bugs.  If you experience any problems while visiting this site or our forums, please contact us.  Features, options, layouts, and designs of the site may change from time to time as we find new and better tools, but the main purpose of CarBizOnline.com will remain the same…to be The Ultimate Online Automotive Dealer Resource and Community! ]]> http://carbizonline.com/2009/08/25/hello-world/feed/ 0 http://carbizonline.com/2009/08/25/hello-world/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CarBizOnline/~3/VizXl5B_UsQ/ http://carbizonline.com/2009/08/25/carbizonline-com-official-launch-press-release/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:12:17 +0000 jab http://carbizonline.com/?p=209

August 25, 2009

For Immediate Release

Rachel Dodds

rld@carbizonline.com

CarBizOnline.com Announces Launch of Brand New Website For Automotive Dealers and Vendors

Indianapolis, IN— CarBizOnline.com today announced the official launch of it’s brand new website, www.carbizonline.com . The site is an Internet resource and interactive community for Automotive Dealers and Automotive Vendors. Founded by Jason Breck, the mission of CarBizOnline.com is to provide automotive dealership employees and their third-party vendors with an interactive forum in which they can discuss and share ideas, thoughts, observations, and best practices in an open, professional environment. The site and forums are designed for employees at all levels in the dealership.

Founder, Jason Breck, has over 10 years of automotive industry experience. He has served on both the dealer side and the vendor side of the automotive business. He has held the positions of Area Service Manager for AutoTrader.com, Regional Manager for CarSpot, and Internet Sales Manager for a Milwaukee area dealership.

“In these troubling times, it is more important than ever for dealers to band together and to share ideas and best practices in an open, professional environment. That is exactly what our forums provide,” explained site founder Jason Breck. “In my over 10 years of automotive industry experience, I noticed that there can be a significant difference in the way one store operates versus another. The Internet or BDC departments of the dealerships provides a perfect example. The number of third-party vendor options for dealers is extensive, and continues to grow every day. It is rather difficult for a dealer to choose which vendor will provide the best outcome for a particular job. How is a dealer to know which website provider is the best? How is a dealer to know which window sticker and/or photography company offers the most reliable service in their area? Or, which lead provider produces the best results in their respective market?”

“By providing both dealers and vendors with an open and professional forum in which to ask such questions and to discuss such issues, our forums provide a win-win for both dealers and vendors. Not only do the forums allow dealers and vendors to connect with each other, valuable insight can also be gained by both sides through interacting. The dealers can learn from each others experiences, and the vendors can see what dealers are saying about them. This shared knowledge will enable both sides to improve their operations.”

In addition to it’s forums offering, CarBizOnline.com provides valuable information for automotive dealers, including breaking industry news stories, video newscasts, industry employment listings, links to other valuable automotive sites, automotive reviews, and a dealer/vendor directory. Furthermore, the forums include a section for automotive organizations, and also a calendar on which members can post industry related events.

“While allowing dealers and vendors to connect is one of the benefits of CarBizOnline.com, the primary benefit is the ability for dealers to connect with other dealers. Dealers no longer need to wait for their annual “20 group” meetings to connect. By sharing ideas about which practices, programs, and systems work best for them, all dealers involved in the discussions stand to gain. By discussing current trends and programs, such as the recent CARS, or Cash For Clunkers, programs, dealers can adjust their operations according to what is working best for others. Doing so should allow each dealer to sell more cars, thus improving their bottom line,” said Jason Breck.

One of the best things about CarBizOnline.com is that it’s completely FREE! Inclusion in the site’s directory and registration on the site’s forums are both free.

CarBizOnline.com aims to be The Ultimate Online Automotive Dealer Resource and Community!

Download the .pdf HERE.

We are looking for folks to contribute pertinent automotive industry content (views, opinions, articles, videos, best practices, etc…).  Ideally, we’d like to have several people contribute 1 piece per month.  We’re open to either written articles or short videos (5 minutes or less).  The topics (automotive related) would be of your choosing, but subject to our approval, of course.  We’d really like to have individuals involved from all different parts of the industry (dealer employees, vendors, organization members, consultants).

Contact us NOW if you are interested.

Q: What is a content contributor?
A: A content contributor is someone who sends us content for possible publication on our website.

Q: What kind of content?
A: Content can be any number of things such as an article, pictures, commentary, video, etc…

Q: Do I get credit for the contribution if it’s published?
A: That’s entirely up to you. We will only publish your personal information if you give us your permission to do so. Ideally, we like to give credit where it’s due.

Q: What personal information will you publish about me with my contribution if I give you permission?
A: We can include a picture of you, an email, phone #, website link, and a little text (bio) at the top of your content, if you desire.

Q: Will I get paid if you publish my content?
A: You do not get paid for your contributions. As a content contributor, you are not an employee of the CarBizOnline.com Website. All submissions are strictly voluntary.

Q: Why would I want to be a content contributor if I don’t get paid?
A: Only you can answer that question for certain. However, we hope that you, as a part of the automotive industry community, would do this as your very own personal contribution to helping others within the community. When you help others, you also help yourself and hopefully would give you a genuine warm and fuzzy “do gooder” feeling.  Mushiness aside, by being a frequent contributor, you will be able to build a name for yourself…to build your brand.  You will be known amongst yours peers as a subject matter expert.  Additionally, the experience could be used on a resume, i.e. “Monthly Contributor – CarBizOnline.com”.

Q: I’m interested in learning more about becoming a content contributor. How can I get more information?
A: Good Question, you can learn more by contacting us.

If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact us today.