ADM Professional Community Member Blogs

Are You Planning On Attending AutoCon 2012?

2012-05-26T19:00:00.000Z

If you are planning on attending the AutoConnections Conference and Exposition at the Aria Hotel City Center Las Vegas from September 5th through September 8th, 2012, then we want to feature you in a video.

We need you to make a video of yourself saying so! This video can be made with a cell phone, a Flipcam or whatever device you have at your disposal. Your clip will be used to market and promote AutoCon 2012 and help make the event the best in the industry… Because the video will be so short, they can be emailed to Carrie Hemphill and Ralph Paglia. Send the video files to rpaglia@gmail.com and carrie@pcgmailer.com - Here is the word track we are looking for:

“…My name is [your name] and I am the [title] at [business name] in [city, state]. (pause) You can connect with me at AutoCon 2012 in Las Vegas…”

The entire clip should be no more than 15 seconds and will be used as part of a compilation video promoting dealer attendance at AutoCon 2012.

We will make you a bigger star than you already are!

Ralph Paglia
President
Automotive Media Partners, LLC
C. 505-301-6369
rpaglia@gmail.com

Carrie Hemphill
Managing Director
First Class Educators
O. 732.734.6993
C. 908.601.6475
carrie@pcgmailer.com

Registration

Please select and complete the registration form below to secure your admission to AutoCon2012; September 5-8th.

Since Dealer Principals receive complimentary admission, please register the Dealer Principal separately, if additional members of the dealership/group are attending.

Registration for AutoCon 2012 is $895 per person for dealership employees and$1,495 per person for Allied Industry.

Early bird registration for dealership employees is $695 per person if purchased by June 30, 2012. There is no early bird discount for Allied Industry.

All Inclusive Registration

Your registration includes:

Access to all conference workshops, general sessions, and exhibit hall.
Breakfast and Lunch each day these meals are offered
Access to evening cocktail receptions
Conference book, shirt, and conference supplies
Internet Access in all rooms, exhibit hall, and workshops.
Access to Conference Presentations in Digital Format
Membership to the AutoCon2012 event website
Discounts to products and services valued over $10,000

Registration Links

Please click on the appropriate registration choice below:

How long should your Video be? We`d like everyone`s opinion in the ADM Community please? Re; Ken`s 1st 2:40 Video

2012-05-26T14:47:38.000Z

First off Happy Memorial Day Weekend to everyone on ADM & their families!~

**We had this discussion at Douglas this week in regards to length of videos........ The Dealer Principal wanted me to experiment and try to make a 2 minute & 30 second video....... as a test.

Now we did this & I would appreciate your thoughts & input in regards to this discussion........

Here`s what we did;

We cut this video as a test at 10:30pm on this rainy/drizzly night this week down at VW........................

**Please listen to everything that I say in both videos before you share your thoughts........

*Here`s is Video # 1; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8swKqhZtg4

Compare this to Video # 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqP3VSWz3I0

My thoughts............

* # 1 is a solid Video however I don`t "Brand" Douglas at all......................

* It seems "rushed" in my opinion........... other than possible remembering the low mileage, nothing really sticks out in my mind......

* Yes # 2 is twice as long, but I appear more relaxed........... & obviously I speak slower in it.............

* I talk about Douglas in # 2 .................. If I remember the Rabbit in # 1 I don`t think I`ll remember Douglas.......

* Does # 1 really hit home & make you think "Wow!" I want to check that Rabbit out???? I`m not so sure...................

* Pat feels if you were grading this that # 2 is an "A" and # 1 is a "C"........................

*If this was an Infiniti QX56(much more detailed vehicle) could I get a significant message out there in 2:30??????

Sooooooooooooooo what are your thoughts ADM`ers???? We`d like to know.....

Thank you very much,

Ken-

NJ VW | Looking for a Great Deal on a New VW in NJ? You are cordially invited to our 96-Hr. Memorial Day Sale at Douglas VW in Summit NJ

2012-05-26T00:30:50.000Z

Remember When You Bought Your First Car?

2012-05-25T23:00:00.000Z

My first car which I purchased was a 1977 White 4-Speed Toyota Corolla. It wasn’t the nicest looking vehicle anyone has ever seen. As a matter of fact, it was what people today would call a “hoopty” or “jalopy”. As soon as I made the purchase, I headed over to AutoZone to cover the steering column, replace the side mirrors, buy seat covers, and styled it up with the double windshield blades. My taste in style has since changed. It was ugly to say the least, but it was mine!

The sales person, on the note lot saw me coming a mile away. OK, really he saw me when I walked in the door because no one was outside to greet me. I was a seventeen year old kid who wasn’t going to earn him much of a commission on this $1200 vehicle. He had his eye on a couple that was looking at the 1984 BMW sitting right next to this future “white freedom mobile”. I wasn’t the most informed consumer on the lot that day. I just knew that I had worked all summer mowing ½ acre lots for $20 a pop. We will talk about the sales process in a second.

To make every American boys dream of having the freedom to go where he wanted to go, and truly take one step closer to adulthood; I had to acquire 7 accounts. I promised to mow, edge, weed, and hedge their bushes each week. Each yard would take me about three hours after cleanup. It wasn’t that bad because most of these yards were about a mile away from my house, so I would load all of my equipment on the push mower and service these accounts regularly. The owners didn’t care what day I mowed just as long as it was the same day every week. After closing all 7 accounts in a day, I planned my schedule accordingly working around summer football two-a-days.

My schedule went something like this. Monday I would arrive at practice by 7:30 AM. By 10 AM a teammate would drop me off at my house and I would start the walk to my first account. Normally my work mower would sound off by 11 AM. By 2:30 PM I would make it back to my house in time to eat a sandwich drink a lot of water and rest up for the late practice which started around 5:30 PM. This schedule was duplicated Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Saturday, I would walk to the two accounts that were next door neighbors to each other and probably the most difficult to maintain. After six or more hours of making their yards look great, I would head back to the house. Sundays were a different story. After church, and Sunday lunch with the family I would start on my parents’ lawn. However, I was not getting paid for this because my father purchased the lawn equipment and he told me early on that I was born to take out the trash and mow his lawn until I moved out on my own. I thought this was a fair agreement with him because I didn’t have to put any money up front for my little enterprise.

It took me 252 hours of lawn maintenance and 3 months to acquire enough money to be able to walk onto a dealership lot and be able to seriously look at what would become my largest purchase of my life. It seemed like a lifetime. Needless to say I was very excited because school was about to start, and I was going to get to control when I would be able to arrive and leave.

When I arrived on the lot I could hardly contain my enthusiasm because my new adventure into freedom was about to begin. The sales person who was eventually going to help me looked a little like I did after my second football practice of the day. He actually looked like I was inconveniencing him while he stalked his prey that was looking at the BMW. When I approached him to talk with him about the prize I was eyeing; he actually looked around to see if another sales person would talk with me. Determined to drive off the lot in what I felt was “My New Car” I continued to express my desire to get into the “white freedom mobile”. He reluctantly allowed me to take a test drive. I don’t know if it was the poor commission he was about to make or the fact that the air-condition was less than satisfactory for his taste. He didn’t really talk a lot about the car, but he did let me know how many vehicles he sold that day.

What this sales person failed to realize is that this was the greatest sale of my life that he was about to make. He was about to change my life and I was about to experience this great feeling of driving off of the lot in my first vehicle. I was always going to remember this experience and share it with everyone I knew. He sold several cars a day, but I was only going to buy a “new” vehicle every 2 or 3 years.

Today, I still am in the market for new vehicles. Although I have upgraded the type of vehicle I purchase and the frequency they are purchased- I still get excited when I am handed my keys and drive off of the lot for the first time. Experience has led me to purchase vehicles from those who truly care about my business.

Do you thank your customers for their purchase? Do you treat your customers with the same enthusiasm they have when purchasing their vehicle. Remember when you purchased your first vehicle? How would you have liked to have been treated? Customer expectations are still the same. Every customer you see is making the second most expensive purchase in their life no matter if they spend $ 150,000 or $ 1200 for their vehicle. Give them an experience they will never forget, and you will see your customers and their friends again.

Good luck selling, and creating your customer for life.

The spectacular marketing fail of JC Penney

2012-05-25T20:18:52.000Z

The spectacular marketing fail of JC Penney

May 24, 2012

While you may have read "7 Reasons Coupons Don't Work For Marketing," you might have thought, "Yeah well, since coupons bring customers come in, I'll keep using them to market my retail shop."

That's what the management team of JC Penney must've thought for the past many years, as the lackluster brand seemed stuck with their marketing; JC Penney held 590 promotions last year, mainly through coupons.

CEO Johnson's made Penney's customers go cold turkey.

At the same time, JC Penney switched to Every Day Low Prices (EDLP). They reduced prices to the level where most of its actual sales occurred anyway (about 40% less.) They launched a big ad campaign to explain that every day you would now get "the deal."

In essence, every day customers could now get the coupon price, without the paper coupon.

The media heralded the news, the stock jumped and the new ads ran. Only one thing was missing: JC Penney's loyal customers.

Last week Penney's shared the shocking results of their coupon-intervention:

Traffic down 9% during the week.
Foot traffic down 12% on the weekends.
Sales down 20% from the previous year.
28% decline in Internet sales.
Loss of $163 million for first quarter versus $64 million profit same time last year.

Johnson's explanation? Our customer just doesn't understand our pricing.

Like, "If they just understood they are getting the same high," they'd be happy. Except, there's no high in EDLP.

For many years, Penney customers were trained that the price marked on an item was just the starting point to establish the value of their coupon. Their couponing habits fundamentally altered their customer's reality.

Even though JC Penney has lowered their prices, customers still feel the price is the starting point.

Without the coupon to give them their fix, there is no immediacy to come into the store. There is no high to paying what the price tag says. There is no bliss provided by a brand that would turn its back on their loyal customers.

From the JC Penney Facebook page: "Now, not only can I not keep track of 'Best prices,' 'Everyday prices' or whatever, but there is no incentive to come in because there is no chance to save?"

Hence the sales tanking.

Macy's and Sears both tried EDLP many years back and quickly realized it was not how the department store customer expects to be treated after becoming addicted to special sales, coupons and other discounts.

You wanted them to come back in? You needed to at least provide the illusion of a discount.

And here's my point to all retailers...

Yes you can offer a coupon or other discount and get people in, but when you continue to use them as "proof" your marketing worked, you are getting sucked into the same game Penney's has played for decades.

With Penney's new plan, instead of getting people in four times a year, they hoped to get them in once a month. The thinking was that if they were successful in that, they'd triple their business from promotions.

Except of course, loyal customers apparently didn't even come in once.

Customers are saying they are spending with Kohl's or Macy's; other suppliers for their fix of coupons.

Of course, every retailer is talking about smartphones and how they can be used to improve their business. In an article on showrooming, Suzy Sandberg suggested the best way to avoid showrooming was pushing coupons using a mobile app or bid by location on Google to offer discounts or coupons.

Same drug, different needle.

How To Know If You're Addicted To Offering Coupons

It's important to know coupon-offering addiction didn't suddenly happen. It takes time to convince yourself the high is worth it.

But when it is full blown, a retailer won't be able to resist the urge to sign a contract with a deal provider like Groupon, use their email list to discount their store or enter into any promotion that gives the retailer the illusion of (gaining loyal customers) (building profitable sales later) (increased exposure.)

The coupon addiction means:

You're hooked and have to "give in" to offering them to demanding customers.
You have an illusion of a successful business.
The withdrawal, as JC Penney has found, is staggeringly swift and costly.

Summary

When you aren't making money couponing and discounting and decide to cut it out, you'll find those customers you have courted with coupons simply won't be back.

And then that cushion you've had underneath you will deflate giving you a bleak reality to confront.

As customers openly revolt and stay away, you're in a high stakes gamble they will return – or discover your competition.

This is a condensed version from Marketing With Coupons: Do You Need a JC Penney Drug Intervention.

Thanks Bob Phibbs - The Retail Doctor

Check and Train Yourself - Automotive Dealer eTraining

2012-05-25T19:17:56.000Z

http://dealeretraining.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dealeretraining

Stan Sher of Dealer eTraining explains the importance of constant training and evaluation of current skills, thought patterns, and processes. One should never be satisfied with where they are and should seek to improve.

Top Blogs and News for Auto Dealers: May 21 - 25

2012-05-25T14:07:20.000Z

The most trusted name in live chat brings the best blog posts and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. On this week’s edition – become a LinkedIn pro, headlights have rights, and GM pulls its Facebook Ad campaign:

Do You English Speak?

Most of us have tried to talk our way out of a ticket before – but never like this. When two Russian men were caught speeding, they pretended to speak only English. Watch their faces drop when they learn that the officer is fluent!

Being A Customer Is Tough

It’s easy to forget how hard it is to shop for cars if we’re only focused on selling them. Alex Snyder gets all of us to walk a mile in a customer’s shoes by writing about his purchase experiences with a physical storefront, Internet Sales, and Autotrader.com. Does your dealership sound like the one Alex describes? Make sure to ALWAYS keep your consumer in mind.

Bill Protecting Social Media Passwords Advances

Employers may not have the right to monitor an employee’s password-protected content for much longer. Illinois may soon join Maryland as one of the first states to restrict the access of current and prospective employers to their subordinates’ social media profiles. Is this a case of Big Brother watching, or do employers have a legitimate reason to look at social content?

Season, Set, Sear, Serve, Sold!

I always like Marsh Buice’s DealerElite posts. Whether it’s the quirky analogies comparing sales to food or minerals or the raw enthusiasm that coats Marsh’s nuggets of wisdom, his top blogs are informative and enjoyable. In this blog, Marsh teaches how to close the deal like a chef.

Simple Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Up a Facebook Ad Campaign

By now we all probably have heard of GM’s decision to pull the plug on its Facebook Ad campaign. This controversial move has many people wondering if GM’s disappointing ad ROI is due to poor Facebook practices. In response, Hubspot laid out an easy, informative guide to setting up your own Facebook Ads.

Flashing Lights For Speed Trap Warning Is Covered Under Free Speech

In ActivEngage’s hometown of Orlando, a man was stopped and ticketed for flashing his brights at other motorists to warn them of a speed trap. However, a Florida judge recently ruled that this form of communication is protected under First Amendment rights. Our headlamps are now considered constitutionally-protected speech!

Powerful Tips For Your B2B LinkedIn Profile

ActivEngage’s own Ketty Colom dove headfirst into LinkedIn recently, and she had some great tips to share once she came up for air. The LinkedIn social network has a MUCH higher lead-to-conversion ratio than other networks like Facebook or Twitter – so if you’ve neglected your LinkedIn profile (like some of us), now is the perfect time to renovate it!

Are Your Advertising Dollars Well Spent?

Advertising – and any marketing effort in general – can only provide opportunities by drawing potential customers into your storefront. This excellent post by Leonard Buchholz proves that if you get ‘em in the door but underwhelm with your customer service, all those advertising dollars you spent will have been for nothing.

How Employee Content Drove 200 Leads Per Day at Guitar Center

A recent case study authored by our friends at MarketingSherpa catalogues what happens when Guitar Center took its employee expertise viral. By creating profiles for each staff member and emphasizing the depth of their knowledge about music, the instrument shop was able to generate 200 leads a day. Find out how they did it!

GM: Super Bowl Spots Not Worth The Cost

Facebook Ads isn’t the only advertising that GM is dissatisfied with; earlier this week, GM’s marketing chief Joel Ewanick reported that the OEM could not justify spending millions upon millions of dollars for a 30-second TV spot during Super Bowl Sunday. Time will tell if this maneuver will help or hinder a company historically known for heavy advertising budgets.
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Did we miss anything important? Like what you see? Leave us a comment below! Or if you really can’t wait for your automotive fix, follow @activengage on Twitter for daily updates on auto industry news!

Take the First Step to Phone Excellence

2012-05-25T12:30:00.000Z

Step #1

Never allow your staff to choose between a customer in person and a customer on the phone.

Your customer will always lose.

Showroom Receptionists are often facing the main entrance, and are the first person to be seen by a customer coming in. Too often they are unable to greet, or even make eye contact…
Service Cashiers often are tasked with answering service calls while attempting to provide a great service vehicle delivery…
Calls are too often blindly pushed to Service Advisors who are sitting with customers…
Sales Representatives are often busy with customers when paged, and too often make the mistake of taking the call.

I am haunted by Glenn Pasch’s article Wow a Real Voice. It Freaked Me Out, “Sounds funny saying that but as Gary Vaynerchuk said at a recent conference, (paraphrase) 'Your grandparents are better suited to do business today than you are. They understood relationships and common courtesies and focused on people first.'”

Study these numbers and ask yourself if this could be you, and how important is it to your bottom line?

Google Display Ads Alongside Search Results?!

2012-05-24T20:47:40.000Z

Check out this great blog by Andrew Pasternak our SEM Director, as he tells us what's next in search engine marketing.

Anyone who is a real techno-geek about this stuff knows that there are two primary types of ads you can run through Google: text ads on the search network, and display ads on the display network.

Traditional text-based ads can only be run alongside unpaid organic search result listings on Google.com or other websites they partner with. The only images you will ever see on these pages are for related images or videos. But, in general, these are not display ads.

Display ads (often referred to as banner or image ads) show up on other websites across the Internet that provide content users are interested in. These “destination sites” partner with ad networks, like Google, to auction off space for advertisers to display their ads.

While there is far more to know about the intricacies and nuances of both search network ads and display network ads than this overview, they remain significantly different.

Until…

I stumbled upon this:

“What is that image and blurb to the right side of my search engine results,” I thought to myself? There seemed to be no mention of it anywhere online; until, digging through the depths of pages inside Google’s brain I came across this- the answer, which we will all soon become familiar with.

It’s called Knowledge Graph, a feature being rolled out to Google.com users over the next few days. I suggest checking out the video that can be found using the link above, since really only Google could explain a concept like this. If I had to take a stab at it, though, I would say it’s an intricate web of related things and places (similar to six degrees of separation) designed to make it easier for us to find things we are seeking but can’t seem to find the search terms that trigger our desired results.

Be on the look out for Knowledge Graph on your Google.com page in the next few days, and see for yourself the possibilities for your ad campaigns that this new Google feature can bring.

Super Sale

2012-05-24T19:38:41.000Z

We have just finished a Super slae in our store

We did great 5 days 35 cars @ $3540

I would like to hear back from you guys about your expierience with Super Sale companies

What's that noise on your service drive?

2012-05-24T16:43:45.000Z

Have you ever blown up a balloon and then just let it go and listen to the sound it makes? If you have children or a crazy Uncle Lenny, chances are you've heard this noise before. It is so distinctive that once you've heard it, you are not likely to forget it the rest of your life.

I've heard this same noise in my head many times in the service drive right after an Advisor says something he or she shouldn't have. In our business there are many things that must happen to make sure that the Customer has a great experience.

And it all starts with a person to person interaction. This “point of no return “occurs when the Advisor opens his/her mouth and says…______________.

In the past few years I have heard some things come out of the Advisors mouth that were, quite frankly, ridiculous, stupid and condescending. Here are a few that sounded bad (think balloon noise) when I heard them and still sound bad along with a list of alternatives that you might consider using.

“We can’t take you today/tomorrow/etc.” or “You’ll have to make an appointment.”
“Can you come back tomorrow, I’m afraid we’ve overbooked.”
“We don’t offer __________.”
“We don’t do____________.”
“We don’t take those coupons” or “Those are too old for me to use.”
“What’s your name (Bud, Chief, Boss, Miss)?” or “Wow. That’s a strange way of spelling your name.”
“Is that your mug shot?” referring to a Customers driver’s license
“Don’t stand there. You are blocking my light/view etc.”
“Can I help you?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Man, your car looks bad. What’dja do…run it into a ditch?”
“No.”

I can’t make these up folks. I have heard this and many more on the service drive from Advisors who thought they were being cute, funny, friendly…whatever. In some cases, doesn’t it sound like they just didn’t care? Yeah, it sounded like that to me too.

Let me ask you this. When you say these things out loud, how do they sound to you?

When you hear them in your own voice, does it make you want to stay and do business or does it make you want to reach over the counter, grab that silly Advisor by both ears and ask them “Hey, are these broken? Because what you just said to me, your Customer, did not sound so good just now. Let me say it back to you and you tell me what you think.”

Here are the alternatives.

“Mr./Ms. Customer, I can work your vehicle into the repair rotation and give you a report late today or possibly tomorrow. Would that work with your schedule?”
“Mr./Ms. Customer, I can work your vehicle into the repair rotation and get it back to you tomorrow. Does that work with your schedule?
“Mr./Ms. Customer, here is a list of services we provide to all of our Customers. In order for me to take care of _______, I would need to send it to another specialty repair facility that handles these types of repairs. Would you like for me to take care of it or is this something you would like to do?”
“Mr./Ms. Customer, this is one of the very few services we don’t provide, however, I have made a list of someone locally that does this type of service, and I’ve taken the liberty of calling them and advising them that you will be in contact soon.”
“Mr./Ms. Customer, these coupons are from a previous campaign and they have expired. What I can do is____________.”
“Hello, my name is __________, and yours is?”
“Thanks for providing a license for me to copy the information from. It makes things easier.”
“It’s going to take me a minute to complete the paperwork. Would you like a cup of coffee or a seat while you are waiting?”
“Hello, my name is ________ and I can help you.”
“What brings you into the Dealership today?”
“We can take a look at your vehicle. Let’s get started on the paperwork.”
“Yes” or “Let me see what I can do.”

It’s not that hard. It’s just common sense and common courtesy. Just take a second and think before you open your mouth to say something. That extra second or two is the difference between sounding Professional and sounding ridiculous, stupid or condescending. Don't make balloon noises.

Professionals know that effective verbal communication is the key to high CSI and repeat business.

What Pepsi Can Teach Us About Brand Identity

2012-05-24T14:56:33.000Z

For more than 100 years, PepsiCo.and Coca-Cola have waged one of the fiercest corporate brand wars in the history of marketing. The two soft drink companies have long vied for the top spot in the global market for brown, fizzy, sugar water. Some consumers claim they can taste a difference between the two colas (and maybe they can), while others see soda as a commodity (and simply buy the cheapest option) – but shoppers actually choose their soft drink brand because of something much deeper than price or taste.

In an environment where the price of two similar products is identical, a brand’s identity can be the driving force behind a purchase decision. Buyers form serious relationships with brands, and some of these bonds are just as strong as those that we form with other people. That might sound a little far-fetched, but think about it: Whether you own a PC or a Mac, you probably have some kind of opinion of Apple computers, simply because you are familiar with the brand’s personality. Love it or hate it, you know the characteristics of the Apple image – as if the company was a living, breathing human being.

Consumers have similar attachments to almost every product imaginable – including something as simple as soda. Coca-Cola has formed an image as the essential American product – their ad campaigns generally depict a survey of Americana or the festivity of a traditional Christmas. Coke regularly releases “retro” editions of older product lines, such as the iconic glass bottle and the experimental New Coke flavor. Pepsi, on the other hand, has struggled to find itself, and has often been forced to follow Coke’s leadership (see Pepsi’s Coke-inspired callback of old-school, cane sugar soda). The soda pop has never had a consistent brand identity of its own.
But Pepsi may have found a formula that works for them. The company seems to have recently realized that if Coke is “timeless,” then Pepsi can be “timely,” as the modern, edgy cola brand. The new Pepsi “Live for Now” campaign features plaid hipsters living life to the fullest as Nikki Minaj croons her hit “Moment 4 Life.” While this branding strategy isn’t the most original concept, it stands in stark contrast with Coca-Cola’s antiquated Santa Claus.

Leonard Buchholz posted about the subject of advertising earlier this week on an ADM blog. This excellent post exposes how poor customer service can completely eliminate the benefits of advertising, but we disagree on one small point: Leonard opines that “customers don’t make a connection with an ad.” However, I believe that a vast majority of consumer relationships are developed through marketing campaigns – before the customer ever purchases.

Auto dealers should constantly be asking themselves, “What kind of personality do I want my store to have? Who are we?” Your shoppers form relationships with you long before they meet you – through your marketing campaigns, from something a friend told them, or from your website – and these impressions collectively make up your brand identity. Can you describe your dealership’s personality?
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Stephen is a social media specialist at ActivEngage, Inc. – the most trusted name in automotive live chat. Stay on top of our team’s marketing insights by subscribing to our blog.

With Axis, Yahoo May Have Just Become Relevant Again

2012-05-24T13:25:57.000Z

The buzz is very positive. The tech sites that have turned Yahoo into a red-headed punching bag for the last 3 years are nearly-universally saying this is a win for the beleagured tech giant. Despite fading from prominence, Yahoo has something sexy and modern that may bring them back to prominence.

This isn't a declaration that comes lightly. I've been one of the tech bloggers bashing them. I almost didn't even look at the program once it came across the wire until someone from a big tech blog pinged me for a quote. I'm glad I did.

For now, just check it out and start imagining the possibilities. If it takes off, there's a good chance that the automotive industry applications for this could be plentiful. Are they going to dethrone Google? Of course not. However, they may have just gotten a little more relevant for our business. Be informed. Check it out.

Powerful Tips for your B2B LinkedIn Profile

2012-05-24T13:19:54.000Z

Most people, when they hear LinkedIn, they think of a site where professionals post their resumes, maybe network, and that’s it. However, there’s more that you can do with LinkedIn than you think. According to HubSpot, in a study of 3,128 B2B customers, LinkedIn generated the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate at 2.60%, four times higher than Twitter (.67%) and seven times better than Facebook (.39%).

Though LinkedIn now ranks behind Twitter and Facebook in monthly user activity, LinkedIn is growing at a much faster rate than both social networks, according to separate research from Compete.

How can your dealership benefit from LinkedIn? Research shows that keeping up to date with the latest business and product news and technologies is the most popular use of social networking: 61% of socially networked industrial and tech pros say they use various social channels for that purpose. In addition, such professionals use social networks to find information about products: 46% find peer reviews and recommendations, and 44% find vendors.

In order to benefit from this sector, here are some helpful tips to keep your LinkedIn profile up to par:

1. Keep your employee page up to date - Recently LinkedIn added this feature for Company Page admins. From your company’s overview page, you can see a list of all current employees. Remove any past employees that no longer work for you. Simply click on the triangle on the side of the person’s name. Here is an example:

2. Refresh your Dealership Info - Take the time to update your dealership profile and keep it up to date with any recent blog posts or new vehicles that will hit the market.

3. Add your most popular Products and Services - Under your company overview page, there is a product and services tab.

Here you can add your most popular products and services as well as receive recommendations from your peers.

4. Update your Status - In the LinkedIn world, quality over quantity matters. You don’t have to constantly post updates like you would in Twitter. I would say two to four relevant, noteworthy, and compelling posts are sufficient for LinkedIn a day.

5. Join and Create Groups - Join groups that your clients and potential customers are a part of. Here you can note what the industry trends are as well as develop a rapport with future customers. You can also create a group to control content and reach. The goal is to engage your audience and leverage your thought leadership to make a difference with members of your group.

6. Import Contacts- If you’re brand new to LinkedIn or you want to start building your network without having to search for people, you should use the import function. LinkedIn allows you to important contacts from Windows Live, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! and AOL.

With those tips in mind I leave you with a little quote from Chris Burke, director of business development, "Use Social Media as a way to create new streams of value for audiences, not as another means to broadcast a marketing message. Especially when targeting B2B professionals, the first step in engagement should be asking the question, 'How can we add real value to the conversation?’”

DMEa/Automotive News Webinar Reveals the Secrets to a Successful BDC

2012-05-24T12:55:24.000Z

Free webinar June 5 at 2pm EDT provides important best practices that can save dealership dollars, increase service business, and rev up car sales

Daytona Beach, FL–May 24, 2012 – DMEautomotive (DMEa), the science-inspired, results-based automotive marketing leader, announces the second in a series of free webinars that the company is hosting with Automotive News -- all dedicated to increasing service customer loyalty, service revenue, and vehicle sales. The second webinar in the series focuses on 5 critical best practices for successful business development centers (BDC) and takes place June 5^th at 2pm EDT.

Titled 5 C-crets to a Successful BDC, the webinar is moderated by Automotive News publisher Peter Brown, and features the expertise of DMEautomotive VBDC Director Wendy Woodard and DMEautomotive CMO Mike Martinez -- as well as in-the-trenches insights from special guests Dan Weibelhaus, Corporate Customer Retention Manager for Suburban Collection and BDC Director of Suburban Chrysler, and Matt Gray, Service Director of Suburban Toyota Scion and Volvo of Troy.

“There was a time when an unanswered customer call in a dealership simply meant they would call back a little later … but today, that call goes to a competitor, and missing even three calls a day can have a sizable impact to your bottom line,” said Woodard. “Five C-crets to a Successful BDC is devoted to encouraging dealers to adopt a few simple strategies and approaches that are often overlooked in their stores, but that can reap major benefits in increased service business, ramping up car sales, and overall customer loyalty – as the real world experiences of our guest dealer speakers will demonstrate.”

For more information and to register for the 5 C-crets to a Successful BDC webinar click here

Over 600 attended the first DMEautomotive/Automotive News webinar, which focused on DMEautomotive’s groundbreaking research on the changing service loyalty landscape. The webinar is still available at: http://bit.ly/KzfyPS

About DMEautomotive

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

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

About Automotive News

Based in Detroit, Automotive News has been the place for all the news that is happening among automotive retailers, suppliers and manufacturers since 1925. In addition to the 100% paid weekly print issue that is received by 60,000 subscribers, autonews.com is a vibrant Web site with more than four million page views monthly. It contains the day's breaking news and features two daily newscasts and webinars. Daily and weekly e-mails and breaking news alerts keep the industry's top executives up-to-date.

Contact:

DMEa Media Relations:
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, 949-307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com
Angela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, 714-454-8776, angela@mwebbcom.com

Google Places Review Feature Disabled on iPad Web Searches

2012-05-24T02:43:09.000Z

Are you using an iPad to collect reviews from your customers on Google Places? If you are, I'm sure you are using the Google Places App for the iPad.

If you are not, you will discover that something has recently changed on Google Places when you visit the Google Places page on an iPad using a web browser.

The "Write a Review" button is NO LONGER visible on the iPad.

The screen shot above is what can be seen from a laptop or desktop device. You will not see this from an iPad. Strange.

The message here is that you will need to download the Google Places App to post reviews for your business on an iPad device. I was not aware of this change, so I decided to share this with ADM members.

Change is constant with Google!

Brian Pasch, CEO

PCG Consulting

http://www.pcgconsultingservices.com

brian@pcgmailer.com

732.672.2356

NJ VW | Huge New Jersey Memorial Day Weekend Sale at Douglas VW in Summit NJ | Great Deals on New & Pre-Owned VWs at Douglas VW in Summit

2012-05-23T20:30:00.000Z






All offers expire 5/28/2012 2012 Jetta S - 0 - Down! 39 Month Lease - $149* per mo. - Manual Transmission - Stk#V500722 Vin#CM356718 - MSRP $17,880 **Includes $750 Conquest Cash Rebate; Conquest owners are defined as individuals or households possessing current vehicle registration or title of a non Volkswagen vehicle (limited to Honda, Hyundai, Nissan & Toyota vehicles only). Immediate family members residing at the same address are eligible. The current Honda, Hyundai, Nissan & Toyota vehicle owner does not need to trade-in their existing vehicle to take advantage of the offer. Corporations, companies, business and dealerships are excluded. *Excludes; 1st mo. payment, sales tax, motor vehicle fees, acquisition(bank), tire and Doc fees.
2012 Passat S - 0 - Down! 39 Month Lease - $169 per mo. - Manual Transmission - Stk#V500322 Vin#CC014655 - MSRP $21,000 **Includes $750 Conquest Cash Rebate; Conquest owners are defined as individuals or households possessing current vehicle registration or title of a non Volkswagen vehicle (limited to Honda, Hyundai, Nissan & Toyota vehicles only). Immediate family members residing at the same address are eligible. The current Honda, Hyundai, Nissan & Toyota vehicle owner does not need to trade-in their existing vehicle to take advantage of the offer. Corporations, companies, business and dealerships are excluded. Excludes; 1st mo. payment, sales tax, motor vehicle fees, acquisition(bank), tire and Doc fees. All offers expire 5/28/2012



Powered by Douglas Volkswagen 491 Morris Ave. Summit NJ 07901 DouglasVW.com 908-277-3300

Internet Lead Lingo: “I’m Not In the Market” Means “Don’t Pressure Me”

2012-05-23T19:14:17.000Z

I’ve always believed that Internet customers have the same objectives—and objections—as showroom customers: the only difference is the way they choose to contact the dealership. So it’s interesting to me when I hear from salespeople who have different expectations from their Internet leads than they do from their showroom guests.

Take the classic on-the-lot objection, “I’m not looking,” or “I’m just looking but not buying today.” When a customer visits a showroom and a salesperson hears that phrase, what is the proper response? Get angry? Refuse to help that customer? Pass them off to a co-worker? Of course not. It’s pretty well accepted that “I’m not looking” is code for “don’t pressure me,” and it’s the first objection we train our salespeople to deal with when they start their career.

In such a situation, it’s generally accepted that the salesperson should immediately set the customer at ease. Acknowledge that it’s OK for the customer to just look, and offer to be a resource for them. It doesn’t mean that the customer won’t buy on that visit or that you won’t ask for the sale when the time is right—but they’ve told you the time isn’t right yet. So you work the process, build value in yourself, the dealership and the vehicle of interest, and take them as far as you can during their visit. And if they leave after your best efforts? Be friendly, offer to help with whatever they need going forward, then follow up, follow up, follow up.

Now, let’s say that a salesperson is sitting at their computer looking at a response from an email sent to an Internet lead. They read “I’m not in the market,” or “I’m just doing research right now, I’m not planning to buy for a while.” The salesperson rolls their eyes, complains that they shouldn’t have gotten the lead, and immediately closes the lead out. That’s the equivalent of a lot drop after the greeting.

Why would they treat that Internet lead any differently than a showroom customer? Here are a few reasons why the response should be the same:

1) Both showroom and Internet customers have to be brought down funnel. A salesperson has to earn the right to ask a customer for the sale.

2) Both showroom and Internet customers ARE in the market for a vehicle, despite their objections. Why would anyone take the time to visit a dealership or submit an online lead (which does take some time) if they’re not?

3) Both showroom and Internet customers have the same first-contact conversion rates. NADA estimates that the conversion rate for first-time, walk-in showroom customers is 12-15%. The average dealership’s close rate for Internet leads from all sources combined is 10-15%.

Wait a second, you’re thinking. Any decent salesperson can close 30-40% of showroom ups. Maybe even 50%. But that figure includes prospects from a variety of sources; appointments, referrals, repeat visits and first-time walk-ins, all combined. If a floor salesperson was assigned to first-time walk-ins only, they’d close 12-15%. We know that “the point” is the least-productive place to spend your day, and your planner’s where you make your money.

4) Appointments set with “be-backs” and Internet customers alike show about the half the time. Of those, most stores close upwards of 50%. Customers who set and show up for appointments are more likely to buy, regardless of whether they first contacted the dealer through the Internet or by walking onto their lot.

When faced with objections from Internet leads, some salespeople tend to give up more quickly than they would with a walk-in. But if they invest the same time and effort as they do with showroom customers, focusing on working the sales process and earning the right, they’ll get results. Make the customer comfortable, offer to be a resource, bring them down funnel, and Internet lead conversion rates will improve.

What tips do you have for the “I’m just looking” or “I’m not in the market” objection? Do you think the same tactics that work in the showroom are successful with Internet leads?

M2W Case Study: FIAT of Austin - 63.7% of Vehicles Sold to Women

2012-05-23T19:12:06.000Z

Marketing to Women Case Study: FIAT of Austin Lisa Copeland, General Manager

FIAT of Austin sales numbers are still steadily rising with a startling 63.7% of vehicles sold to women car buyers.

FIAT of Austin sales numbers are still steadily rising with a startling 63.7% of vehicles sold to women car buyers. The FIAT of Austin studio experience is currently the #1 FIAT dealer in the US and opened their doors just last year in March of 2011. Lisa Copeland is the innovative GM who heads up this success, her passion is focused on improving the dealership experience for women, and gaining market-share by focusing on the women car buyer.

Half her dealers — and half her managers — are women, in a business where women often don’t like car shopping. One is not overwhelmed with choices. There are two models: A hatchback and a convertible. They come in six trims. Copeland’s store has sold more than 850 in just over a year.

“In all my years in the car business, I’ve never been so energized,” Lisa Copeland, GM says. “The No. 1 thing people say is they like the experience. No pressure. I don’t want someone to take a FIAT out of here if they don’t love it.”

They have formally defined the FIAT of Austin culture in terms of 10 core values:

1) Deliver WOW Through Service
2) Embrace and Drive Change
3) Create Fun and Exciting environment
4) Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
5) Pursue Growth and Learning
6) Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
7) Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8) Do More With Less
9) Be Passionate and Determined
10) Be Humble

Successful Tactics:

1. The location looks very posh and classy, both inside and out and their "studio experience" caters to the woman car buyer.

2. The staff, including managers is 50% women, and participates in extensive ongoing training on selling , marketing and advertising to women and are AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly®.

3. Community involvement has been key in building relationships with women by partnering and supporting women's organizations like Girls Scouts USA, the Texas Women in Business Networking Event and the Stiletto Stampede for the Cure is a high heel dash (100 yards) with a mission to encourage young women and men to know and understand the risks of breast cancer and empower them to prevent the disease by utilizing overall Breast Self-Awareness through early detection, screening methods and education.

4. Running relevant "women-centric" promotions and events that resonate with women in the Austin,Texas market is one of their cornerstones of success.

Girl Scout USA Cookie Thin Mint FIAT Give-Away

Stiletto Stampede for the Cure

LezBeProud and FIAT of Austin are teaming up to KICK OFF PRIDE in Austin! RSVP to register for amazing give a ways! Join us for YAPPY HOUR and support our furry friends!

FIAT of Austin and GUCCI!

FIAT of Austin community mural on SoCo! Who can tell us Where on SoCo this awesome new wall is located???

FIAT of Austin Pink Pages Launch party

5. An effective social media presence and out-reach to women, including their blog "Buying Cars Her Way".

Two recent testimonials:

4/14/2012
The experience was unlike any other car I've ever purchased. Friendly, no pressure, relaxed, informative, and relatively quick. I also feel like I got a fair
amount for my trade, and I Love my new Fiat!
Glasses Girl Austin
Austin, TX

4/23/2012
Such a fantastic experience! From the moment we walked in the door we felt so welcomed and cared for. Brandon was super knowledgeable about all
the vehicles features and options. All the folks in the showroom were amazing with our 3 year old daughter too! This was by far the absolute best car
buying experience I have ever had. Oh, and PS - I am so in love my new Fiat 500 Pop!!!
Dana Douglas Duran
Austin, TX

Jody DeVere
CEO
AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly®
http://www.askpatty.com/getcertified/

East Coast Dealers Encouraged To Attend Dealer Pit Stop in New Jersey on June 12th

2012-05-23T18:35:18.000Z

Dealers don't get many opportunities to attend powerful automotive conferences in New Jersey. Why the Garden State is ignored, it is hard to tell. However, on June 12th, East Coast dealers will have a chance to send their team to a one day conference with 12 relevant workshops.

Here are the workshops that we will be offered at the Dealer Pit Stop in Eatontown, NJ on June 12th.

9:45 am Workshops

Effective SEO Strategies & Why Google+ Is A Powerful New Marketing Friend - Matt O'Such
How To Identify and Correct All Profit Leaks on Your Website - Brian Pasch
How To Credibly Build Hundreds of Reviews on Google Places - Glenn Pasch

11:00 am Workshops

Video Marketing and SEO Tips for Google, Yahoo, and Bing - AJ LeBlanc
Bulls, Owls, Lambs, Tigers - How to Incorporate Personality Selling into Your email Templates - Julie Chisum
Google Adwords Strategies That Crush Your Competition - (Display, Mobile, Retargeting) - Devin Jones & Brian Pasch

1:15 pm Workshops

Optimizing Your CRM + ILM Systems - Julie Chisum
Exploding Website Conversion - An Insider's Road Map to Benchmarking & Converting 50% of Your Website Visitors - Dave Page
Creating An Effective Social Media Strategy - A Dealership Guide To What Really Works - Ralph Paglia

2:30 pm Workshops

Benchmark and Measure The ROI Of All Your Marketing Investments - Brian Pasch
Improving Phone Process To Increase In-Store Appointments By 200% - TBD
The Three Missing Pieces To Your Digital Marketing Strategy That You Need Now - TBD

Affordable Admission

The conference is very affordable, a dealer can send three employees for less than $1,000. Breakfast and lunch is also provided, so what are you waiting for? Register online at: http://www.dealerpitstop.com

The Perfect Blogger-Social Media-Marketing Relationship

2012-05-23T16:48:48.000Z

Recently I started to talk more about blogger outreach with dealers to test the waters on how effective it would work in the automotive industry.

Blogger outreach means developing strong online relationships with key influencers in your market and having them promote your business through their blog or social media channels.

This isn't anything new. Every social media specialist talks about it.

But what I'm proposing is to take it a step further through blogger outreach. Dashboards such as BlogDash or communities like BlogHer and BlogWorld allow you to get both the social and the search benefits of a blogger turning into your new brand ambassador.

Have you thought about having a blogger come into your dealership and film them test driving your cars?

How about "hire" them as an employee for the day and they blog about their experiences trying to learn the ropes (think "Undercover Boss" TV show)?

Or maybe you can lend them a car for the weekend and have them blog about all the crazy places they took the car - road trips, soccer games or maybe a drive-in movie theatre?

Last night I tweeted at @WhitforBrit - an award-winning blogger I follow regularly - and told her that I liked her eyeglasses she wore in a video. She tweeted back where she got them, and the business then immediately sent me a link to the glasses she bought.

How would you like to have those experiences every week, or maybe even every day?

In my speaker proposal for AutoCon2012, I'm going to propose a workshop just on Blogger Outreach. This isn't for social media newbies, this is for those looking to take their own blog and social media profiles to the next level for the ultimate digital marketing search and social strategy.

I'm talking about real bloggers with real connections in your market. After all, it's not just about the amount of links you get but also links coming from different sources.

To spice up my workshop, I'll even be attending BlogWorld in NYC and working with bloggers directly to learn how they want to be contacted, when they want to be contacted, and how these current relationships are working for both sides.

Look for my video in the next coming weeks and be sure to tell Ralph Paglia and Carrie Hemphillwhether or not you'd be interested in learning more about Blogger Outreach.

DrivingSales Named Finalist in 2012 American Business Awards(SM)

2012-05-23T16:17:42.000Z

Business intelligence data company named a Finalist for Most Innovative Company of the Year

Salt Lake City, UT -- May 23, 2012 -- DrivingSales, (http://www.drivingsales.com), was named a Finalist in the Most Innovative Company of the Year category in The 2012 American Business Awards, and will ultimately be a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie® Award winner in the program. DrivingSales is a business intelligence data company that includes the auto industry’s largest car dealer social network. Approximately, one in every three dealerships in the United States has a registered member in the DrivingSales community

The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.

“We are proud to be recognized by the American Business Awards for our work in helping innovate our industry, and congratulate all the nominees,” said DrivingSales CEO and Founder Jared Hamilton. “Our mission, and passion, has always been to deliver the most trusted and actionable business intelligence to auto dealers to make their businesses more profitable. We share this honor with the thousands of dealers who are part of the DrivingSales community, and who have helped DrivingSales build a business dedicated to their success.”

Finalists were chosen by more than 140 business professionals nationwide during preliminary judging in April and May. More than 150 members of 10 specialized judging committees will determine Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists during final judging, to take place May 14 - 25.

Details about The American Business Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at http://www.stevieawards.com/aba.

About DrivingSales.com

DrivingSales is a business intelligence data company that includes the auto industry’s largest car dealer social network. Dedicated to the dealer community, DrivingSales leverages its social networking platform to collect and route business intelligence and market data around the $500 billion automotive industry, all to make dealerships more profitable, while also providing benefit to automakers and the industry as a whole. Approximately, one in every three dealerships in the United States has a registered member in the DrivingSales community.

DrivingSales' information and data network includes flagship property DrivingSales.com (http://www.drivingsales.com), the world's largest car dealer social network; DrivingSalesTV (http://www.drivingsalestv.com), an interactive web channel which helps car dealers and auto professionals keep tabs on their industry and emerging technologies 24/7; DrivingSales University, an on-demand training platform where dealerships learn the latest web strategies from top e-commerce experts; DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES) the industry's leading conference where progressive dealers collaborate and learn from world renowned experts, and DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide, a quarterly free publication featuring case studies of the industry's most innovative dealerships, solutions and best practices.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at http://www.stevieawards.com.

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

If Support...

2012-05-23T15:30:00.000Z

If Support…

Responded with a call instead of silence
Gave you immediate attention instead of a support ticket number
Answered the phone immediately instead of a queue
Has a queue, then you know something is desperately wrong
Responded with action instead of a timeline
Categorically ranked your need based on how much it is their fault and handled those first.
Wasn’t overseas
Is handled with grace and humility instead of arrogance and finger-pointing
Did it for you rather than emailing you details on how you can do it yourself, when you have time
Took responsibility for the miscues of their products rather than play the blame game
Contacted the other 3^rd party vendor proactively instead of requiring you to relay the message to them
Understands what it is like to do what you do
Actually has more staff than the sales team
Has the ability to fix rather than to dictate and file
Tries to keep you in the loop rather than at bay
Cares about their role in your success
Is as motivated to fix the issue as you are to solve it

….then that is a Support department that I can stand behind. Unfortunately, far too many support departments in our industry fall short. Share with me other ways you feel a Support team can earn your respect and retain your business.

Road to the Sale is More than Ten Steps--You Knew this, Right?

2012-05-23T15:00:00.000Z

Yeah, you know the Road to the Sale (RTTS) like the back of your hand, right? Do you also know the Road to the Sale From the Sale? Or the Road to the Sale from the Unsold?

And do you train your staff on any of this? Even if you like a shorter RTTS, take a look below and see what you are missing!

This post is short and sweet, because sometimes the best things are simple. Good selling!

TEN STEPS ON THE ROAD TO THE SALE

1. Meet and Greet

2. Interview

3. Vehicle Selection

4. Walk-Around

5. Test Drive

6. Trade Evaluation

7. Present Numbers and Ask for the Sale

8. Close

9. F&I Turn

10. Delivery and Service Drive Intro

FIVE MORE STEPS ON THE ROAD TO THE SALE FROM THE SALE

1. Ask for Referrals at Delivery

2. Ask for Online Review at Delivery

3. Make a Properly-Timed CSI Reminder Call (New Vehicle Sales Only)

4. Follow-up at Six Weeks and Mine the Household

5. Follow-up every six months AND Birthdays/Anniversaries and Mine the Household

FIVE MORE STEPS ON THE ROAD TO THE SALE FROM THE UNSOLD

1. Follow-Up Objection-Isolating Call From Manager/3rd Party ASAP the Customer Leaves the Lot

2. Follow-Up BeBack Call Next Day From the Salesperson

3. Follow-Up Beback Call EVERY Friday From the Salesperson for a MONTH

4. Put Customer on Monthly eMail Newsletter

5. Follow-Up Beback call EVERY Mid-Month for Four Months

Is Certified the New “Organic?”

2012-05-22T22:08:06.000Z

Like ‘natural’ food labels, has the overuse of ‘certified’ lost its power in the used car market?

Once upon a time, a label of ‘natural’ on food products… or anything else, conjured up images of health and purity and assurances that the product was pesticide and chemical-free – but today, with all things natural in vogue and not a standard or regulation in place, the label has suffered from over-exposure and it has become a far less meaningful brand tool for the food marketing industry. Indeed, not so long ago, the same held true for the organic label, until the USDA stepped in with its seal and relatively strict standards for use of the term ‘organic’. Should certified be getting the same treatment?

Perhaps. Because today, the same fate is rapidly befalling another over-used term completely lacking in any standardization –the certification label. Everything from security systems to cars can fall under that rubric with absolutely no guarantee of anything… and, taken a step further in the auto industry, the acronym CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) is in danger of the same semantic ignominy.

When CPO programs first came into being, they were extremely limited and only offered by manufacturers – in fact, back then, the term CPO could only be used by manufacturers (and that is still true in some states today); but gradually others, including many in the online space, picked up the idea of ‘certifying’ used vehicles – and today, more and more automotive programs and individual dealerships are trumpeting the term ‘certified,’ with no real accountability. Random and excessive use of the term risks car-buyer cynicism.

But, just as with ‘natural’, there is a good news/bad news component to ‘certified’. People like and want the concept of natural foods even if they don’t necessarily believe it on the label, likewise with ‘certified’. It immediately conjures up something that car-buyers want – and data confirms that consumers are more likely to purchase a vehicle if it is certified.

But where will those numbers go if there is no real standardization? If easily thrown together dealership programs - which are little more than shrink-wrapped warranty programs lacking third-party inspection, buy-back guarantees, or other benefits typical of the best OEM programs – flood the market under the CPO banner, then the best programs will lose their power. In fact, the definitions of certification are so broad that it could mean nothing more than an inspection or a full tank of gas or a certified mechanic with some sort of competency test.

At SureSale we too use the term ‘certified’…because consumers continue to embrace the term and it still retains a halo that is reflective of the solid elements of our program; but we see an impending dilution to the term, which is why we have focused on ensuring program elements that are robust for both dealer and consumer -- and why we are seeking to redefine not only the word certification, but the category as well. If dealers are going to be able to meet the significant opportunities on the horizon as new and used vehicle sales (and trade-ins) ramp up in an extremely competitive sales market that is peopled with ever-more demanding consumers, they must be able to offer substance behind the certified rhetoric. And that means not just a good warranty program, but multiple elements that reassure the consumer (such as third party inspections, buyback guarantees, service contracts, vehicle history reports, pricing information and so on) - elements that adhere to a strict consistent standard that is the same whether the consumer purchases in New Jersey or Arizona.

While we may never be able to move CPO beyond ‘natural’ into a USDA seal of approval, at SureSale, we are doing our best to shift practices across the industry, which, in the end, will provide not only greater consumer likelihood to purchase, but greater profits for dealerships.

Follow me on Twitter @jeffreysuresale

http://jeffreyschwartz.com/

Bridgewater NJ | Infiniti Memorial Day Weekend Sales Event | Douglas Infiniti in Summit NJ invites you to our Memorial Day Sales Event

2012-05-22T21:12:47.000Z

You can see our New Car Specials by clicking the picture below OR just visit;

www.InfinitiOffers.net

***See you this weekend!~

Clever iPad Promotion and New UltraCare PPM Program Helps Hare Chevrolet Crush Aftermarket Service Shop Competition.

2012-05-22T19:56:04.000Z

I have been doing regular blogs about successful promotions in dealerships that come to my attention. In this blog I wanted to let you know about a Prepaid Maintenance Plan (PPM) promotion that was extremely successful at Hare Chevrolet.

Hare Chevrolet has improved customer retention and increased its Customer Pay RO count by 12% since instituting a dealer branded Prepaid Maintenance Program (PPM) earlier this year. The program, which launched in March, and is dealer administered, has produced an average of $171 up-sell on every customer pay Retail Repair Order.

The dealership is in a highly competitive market place surrounded by four after market repair shops. The program has helped the dealership come out on top of its competition by ensuring service customers return to the dealership for future vehicle service needs.

The program, which focuses on selling maintenance plans to existing customers in the service lane, was kicked off in March with a service advisor sales incentive of an Apple iPad if they hit a quota of 22 plans sold. The incentive proved successful with all five service advisors exceeding their quotas resulting in 127 UltraCare plans being retailed to existing service lane customers.

The dealership has continued the success of the incentive program by building in PPM sales as part of the service advisors’ pay plans. Hare Chevrolet now averages 62 plans sold per month, 80% of which are sold out of service and 20% out of F&I. Customers are much more likely to purchase a maintenance plan in service when they don’t have competing F&I products to consider and the loan to value issue is gone.

The dealership sells the plans at a cost basis. Rather than try and make a profit they are using these plans as a great retention technique, which is working well with retention rates increasing about 5% per month. However, an added bonus is that the average customer that visits for a simple oil change ends up spending an additional $171 per RO, so it is incredibly profitable as well.

Based in Noblesville, Indiana, Hare Chevrolet continues to hold the title of the country’s longest-lived family-owned vehicle retailer. Today the Chevrolet dealership sells about 400 cars per month and employs 150 people. Current managers Courtney Cole and Monica Peck, who are the great-great-great granddaughters of original founder Wesley Hare, offer 50 service stalls, and about 1000 new Chevrolets in its sales lot.

The latest in technology has allowed the dealership to keep in front of the pack in a fiercely competitive market, while also maintaining loyal customers.

Technology is a Queer Thing. It Brings Greats Gifts with One Hand and Stabs You In the Back with the Other.

2012-05-22T19:21:07.000Z

The title of this blog is a famous quote by C.P. Snow. It reminds me of a seminar I attended at Digital Dealer, in which I laughed at a scene that was shown from the TV show “Men of a Certain Age.” A 20-something kid comes in to a dealership with his smartphone and mobile app, knows the vehicle he wants, knows exactly what he wants to pay for it and knows what the competitor down the street is selling it for.

With information from his smartphone, the 20-something thwarts every step of the sales process. The Internet Manager calls in the General Manager who eventually calls in the dealer himself, a former Los Angeles Laker. The kid is unimpressed, quoting the dealer’s stats from his smartphone, “you only played one season and made four points.”

It made me wonder, how has technology changed the traditional 10-step process for selling cars? Here are the 10 steps that most salespeople have been taught:

1. Meet and Greet: Salesperson introduces himself or herself to the customer.

2. Discovery: Salesperson asks the customer questions to try and understand what they want.

3. Choose a Vehicle: Salesperson selects a vehicle or two to show based on the customer’s criteria.

4. Why Buy Today: Salesperson gives a number of reasons why the customer should buy today, i.e. special financing, other interested buyers, incentives, etc.

5. Walkaround: Salesperson shows the customer all of the features and benefits of the vehicles.

6. Test Drive: Salesperson takes the customer for a test drive, focusing on the areas or options that are important to them.

7. Negotiation: Salesperson draws customer into a discussion about pricing, trade approsal, payments, etc. which leads to a negotiation.

8. Closing: Salesperson employs their favorite or appropriate closing technique to get the customer to sit down and sign the contract.

9. Delivery: Salesperson completes paperwork and ensures car is ready for delivery.

10. Follow Up: Salesperson follows up with the customer, ensuring they are happy and satisfied so they will return and buy more cars and refer their family and friends.

Today, many customers show up knowing the exact vehicle they want to test drive (eliminating steps #2 and #3), they know if there are any specials or incentives (eliminating # 4), have comparison reports concerning the vehicle they are interested in vs. the competitive models (making #5 somewhat redundant). They have checked the Internet and have found the invoice price on your vehicle and researched what their vehicle is worth to a dealer on trade in (making #7 a major challenge).

I would argue that today is a ”brave new world” and as such needs a new sales process that is “in step” with the new reality of the consumer. What do you think? Do we need to re-write the traditional 10-step sales process? What steps would you eliminate or add?

VinSolutions CSO Sean Stapleton and VP of Interactive Marketing Kendall Billman to be Featured Speakers in CARFAX PowerUp Webinar

2012-05-22T18:13:02.000Z

VinSolutions, an industry-leading developer of automotive Internet- based Customer Relations Management (CRM) and Internet Lead Management (ILM) software, announced that Sean Stapleton, Chief Sales Officer and Kendall Billman, Vice President of Interactive Marketing, will be the next featured presenters in the CARFAX PowerUp webinar to be held on Friday, May 25th at 12:00 PM EST. Registration is open to anyone and is free. To register, go to http://carfax.webex.com/eventcenter.

The CARFAX PowerUp series is a free, year-long webinar series designed to help auto dealers improve their day-to-day operations. The webinars provide attendees with valuable information on the latest industry trends, best practices and emerging technologies that drive used car sales and ultimately increase dealership profits. This month‟s webinar focuses on using data to drive sales in the next generation of automotive dealership marketing.

The feature presentation, titled “Next – Gen Marketing: Using Data to Drive Sales” will teach dealers how to find valuable insight using information about their customers. Dealers will find out how to target customers with behavioral data by analyzing proven versus guess statistics and how best to integrate this technology into the modern dealership. Stapleton and Billman will be joined by Mike Platts, Process Improvement Manager at CARFAX, who will reveal how to integrate vehicle history throughout the sales process.

About Sean Stapleton, Chief Sales Officer at VinSolutions

Sean Stapleton entered the automotive software industry by co-founding IMS, which was later acquired by Who‟s Calling. He worked as Vice President of National Accounts and as Vice President of Automotive Sales for Who‟s Calling, where he defined market expectations for the emerging Call Measurement and Monitoring industry. He later co-founded and established Visible Customer as an automotive market brand.

Appointed to the VinSolutions‟ Board in 2010, Sean is a key component in executing the next step in the company‟s evolution: making the industry aware of its successes and new solutions. VinSolutions has realized growth of 678% under Sean Stapleton, contributing directly to the company being ranked by Inc. 500 in 2010 as the 33rd fastest-growing software company and 447th fastest-growing company overall and again in 2011 in both categories. Sean is a highly regarded author in many top automotive trade magazines and a respected events speaker. With memberships in all major automotive networking groups, Sean‟s expertise is sought as a consultant and mentor to many.

In addition to his work in the automotive industry, Sean Stapleton works as a major fund raiser for Merrick Inc.,http://www.merrickinc.org/, a non-profit organization whose goal is to empower adults with disabilities through vocational and social opportunities. Sean resides in Minneapolis, MN with his wife and three children. Sean can be reached at Sean.Stapleton@VinSolutions.com.

About Kendall Billman, Vice President of Interactive Marketing at VinSolutions

Kendall started in the car business in 1991 and after finishing his MBA in Marketing, worked in many different industries related to CRM, Websites and Interactive Marketing. He is considered one of the leading experts in Website Consumer Behavior, Website Development and Lead Conversion. He is a Google Adwords Qualified Individual and has an extensive knowledge of how SEO, SEM and Interactive Marketing convert shoppers to actual leads. Kendall has been part of many leadership groups including the

American Marketing Association. His past experience has him working many detailed projects in Canada along with OEM‟s such as BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota and Scion. He has been an integral part to the successes of many companies such as Third Coast Media, Reynolds Web Solutions, Who‟s Calling, DealerOn, AutoOne Media, VinSolutions and is now part of the AutoTrader family of companies. You can find Kendall speaking at conventions such as Digital Dealer, Innovative Dealer Summit and Dealer 20 groups. His philosophy of an educational approach ensures that you will receive a clear understanding of how to improve your company‟s industry‟s footprint. "I am always looking forward to showing clients how to make educated changes to increase lead conversion." Kendall can be reached at Kendall.Billman@VinSolutions.com.

About VinSolutions (www.vinsolutions.com)

VinSolutions, headquartered in Overland Park, KS, consolidates data from all areas of an automotive dealerships - helping dealers to find, sell and keep customers more profitably with their fully-integrated “Dealership Marketing System.” VinSolutions‟ all-in-one internal management and external sales and service marketing solution platform includes search marketing, online advertising, social media marketing tools, mobile marketing, websites, ILM (Internet Lead Management), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), sales force automation, desking, appraisal, finance, used vehicle marketing and market pricing, inventory management and distribution, window stickers, automated video tours, loyalty management and targeted marketing with email, text, direct mail and telemarketing services. This cloud- based system is available for large dealer groups and individual dealerships from anywhere an Internet connection is available and can be viewed from any smartphone including BlackBerry, Google DROID and iPhone. VinSolutions‟ Dealership Marketing System is installed by their implementation experts and supported by best practice retail strategy consultation, process training and customer care.

VinSolutions was named on the Inc. 500|5000 in 2010 and 2011 and has received many industry accolades including the Automotive Website Award for Best Integrated Website Platform and the Driving Sales Innovation Cup for VinLensTM. VinSolutions is certified by GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Acura, Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Kia, Saab, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Jaguar Land Rover North America and Nissan and is ADP, Reynolds and Reynolds and DealerTrack DMS certified. Other alliances include, but are not limited to, Kelley Blue Book, Black Book, Galves, NADA, CARFAX, R.L. Polk, AIS Rebates, KnowMe, AutoSoft, Arkona, Autodata and RouteOne. Founded in 2006, VinSolutions became a subsidiary of AutoTrader.com in 2011.

About Carfax (www.carfax.com)

Carfax is the vehicle history expert for used car buyers, sellers and the automotive industry. Carfax created the Vehicle History Report in 1986 and is trusted by dealerships across North America to help acquire, advertise and retail used cars. Carfax is integrated with over 250 acquisition and inventory companies and is the vehicle history provider of choice for 32 manufacturer-Certified programs plus 2,000 automotive Websites. Online shoppers view Carfax® Vehicle History ReportsTM included with dealer listings more than 85 million times a year to buy with more confidence. Become a Carfax AdvantageTM dealer or learn how Carfax can help your dealership win by visiting www.carfaxonline.com.

Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter@CarfaxReports and watch us on YouTube. Friend Car Fox on Facebook and follow him on Twitter@TheCarFox. Download the „Carfax for Dealers‟ mobile app from the App StoreSM and Android MarketSM.

VinSolutions Media Contact: Gina Reuscher (gina.reuscher@vinsolutions.com), (800) 980-7488

http://bit.ly/VinPowerUp

NJ Infiniti - You`re invited to the Douglas Infiniti Memorial Day Weekend Event in Summit NJ

2012-05-22T17:57:37.000Z










2012 G25X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $249 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS MSRP $37,495 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, and much more! STK #21867. VIN #JN1DV6AR7CM860786. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3,300 Down Payment, + $249 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $5893.40 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $9711.07/$21747.10. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $269 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $43655 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22169. VIN #JN1CV6AR8CM971844. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4,000 Down Payment, + $269 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $6717.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $10491.17/$24883.35. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37X AWD Coupe - LEASE FOR $299 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $46880 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 2 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22138. VIN #JN1CV6EL6CM471817. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3500 Down Payment, + $299 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $6326.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $11661.18/$27190.40. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.
2012 EX35 AWD Cross-over* - LEASE FOR $389 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $40745 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #21755. VIN #JN1AJ0HR0CM450848. We have two or more available at this offer. *Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4,000 Down Payment, + $389 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7264.60 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15170.89/$20372.50. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37 Convertible - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $52985 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 2 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22240. VIN #JN1CV6FE7CM202631. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7434.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.16/$29671.60. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.
2012 FX35 AWD Cross-over - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $51395 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22475. VIN #JN8AS1MW8CM154640. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $6,000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $9541.60 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.07/$27239.35. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price
2012 M37X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $54925 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22230. VIN #JN1BY1AR1CM395584. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $5,000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $8671.90 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.15/$28011.75. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2013 JX35 - LEASE FOR $549 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $52300 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22679. VIN #5N1AL0MM0DC304440. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3,600 Down Payment, + $549 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7565.50 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $21410.94/$32426.00. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Price includes $1,000 Lease Loyalty Incentive. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical
2012 QX56 - LEASE FOR $679 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $69720 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22288. VIN #JN8AZ2NE8C9018146. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $6500 Down Payment, + $679 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $11353.40 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $26480.90/$37648.80. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.

Powered by Douglas Infiniti 430 Morris Ave. Summit NJ 07901 DouglasInfiniti.com 908-522-7300 Created by Ken Beam










2012 G25X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $249 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS MSRP $37,495 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, and much more! STK #21867. VIN #JN1DV6AR7CM860786. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3,300 Down Payment, + $249 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $5893.40 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $9711.07/$21747.10. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $269 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $43655 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22169. VIN #JN1CV6AR8CM971844. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4,000 Down Payment, + $269 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $6717.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $10491.17/$24883.35. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37X AWD Coupe - LEASE FOR $299 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $46880 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 2 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22138. VIN #JN1CV6EL6CM471817. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3500 Down Payment, + $299 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $6326.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $11661.18/$27190.40. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.
2012 EX35 AWD Cross-over* - LEASE FOR $389 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $40745 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #21755. VIN #JN1AJ0HR0CM450848. We have two or more available at this offer. *Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4,000 Down Payment, + $389 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7264.60 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15170.89/$20372.50. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2012 G37 Convertible - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $52985 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 2 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22240. VIN #JN1CV6FE7CM202631. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $4000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7434.00 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.16/$29671.60. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.
2012 FX35 AWD Cross-over - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $51395 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22475. VIN #JN8AS1MW8CM154640. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $6,000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $9541.60 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.07/$27239.35. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price
2012 M37X AWD Sedan - LEASE FOR $399 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $54925 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22230. VIN #JN1BY1AR1CM395584. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $5,000 Down Payment, + $399 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $8671.90 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $15561.15/$28011.75. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors. two or more available at this price.
2013 JX35 - LEASE FOR $549 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $52300 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22679. VIN #5N1AL0MM0DC304440. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $3,600 Down Payment, + $549 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $7565.50 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $21410.94/$32426.00. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Price includes $1,000 Lease Loyalty Incentive. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical
2012 QX56 - LEASE FOR $679 PER MONTH FOR 39 MONTHS. MSRP $69720 - All-Wheel Drive. Automatic - 4 Door, PW, PL, PM, Power Seats, Cruise, Leather seats and much more! STK #22288. VIN #JN8AZ2NE8C9018146. We have two or more available at this offer. **Prices/payments include all consumer costs except for licensing, taxes and registration. LEASE: $6500 Down Payment, + $679 1st Month Payment + $0 Security Deposit + $700 Bank Fee = $11353.40 Due at Inception + Taxes and Fees. Total Payment/Purchase Option $26480.90/$37648.80. Based on closed end lease for 39 months with primary lender approval. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Mileage allowed 10,000 miles/year and $0.25/mile thereafter. Must take delivery from dealer stock. Includes all incentives. Offer expires 5/31/12. See salesperson for details. Excludes tax and DMV fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.

Powered by Douglas Infiniti 430 Morris Ave. Summit NJ 07901 DouglasInfiniti.com 908-522-7300 Created by Ken Beam