Comments on: Dealership Dysfunction http://www.dalepollak.com/2008/07/16/dealership-dysfunction/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:05:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: ruggles http://www.dalepollak.com/2008/07/16/dealership-dysfunction/#comment-173 ruggles Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:29:06 +0000 http://www.dalepollak.com/?p=152#comment-173 To the consumer, the showroom is now the monitor of his/her PC, and our inventory is parked next to our competitor's. This might even be a line from Dale's book. As I visit dealer websites I am appalled by the lack of professional caliber inventory photos. Poor lighting, cluttered backgrounds, and on and on. The same Pre-Owned manager probably has his front row perfectly aligned. As I attend one technology conference after another, I see evidence that the most advanced dealers will soon be using video for their inventory, with a trained spokesperson doing a walk around. U-Tube is revolutionizing the real estate business and the auto business won't be far behind. To the consumer, the showroom is now the monitor of his/her PC, and our inventory is parked next to our competitor’s. This might even be a line from Dale’s book. As I visit dealer websites I am appalled by the lack of professional caliber inventory photos. Poor lighting, cluttered backgrounds, and on and on. The same Pre-Owned manager probably has his front row perfectly aligned.

As I attend one technology conference after another, I see evidence that the most advanced dealers will soon be using video for their inventory, with a trained spokesperson doing a walk around. U-Tube is revolutionizing the real estate business and the auto business won’t be far behind.

]]> By: Joe Pistell http://www.dalepollak.com/2008/07/16/dealership-dysfunction/#comment-165 Joe Pistell Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:12:41 +0000 http://www.dalepollak.com/?p=152#comment-165 Our pals Jeff Kershner and Alex Snyder over at DealerRefresh are tackling this exact question now. http://www.dealerrefresh.com/my_weblog/2008/07/are-internet-sp.html IMO, if the store is large enough, then it needs a dedicated MARKETING manager who oversees all media and assists the UCM with merchandising tools for his lot. I am a Marketing Director of a large Used Car retailer in NY.There are so many marketing points these days: Traditional Media TV, Radio, Newsprint, Direct Mail, Yellow Pages New Media Home Website, Satellite Sites, Email Campaigns, CRM (and it’s 1,000 schedules), 3rd party PAID classified sites (‘trader, cars, etc…), 3rd party local classified sites (each market has at least one), 3rd party FREE classified lists (Base, vast, kiijii, and a zillion others), Ebay, Craigs List, and on and on and on… Then there are the social marketing sites to participate in. Don’t forget, You gotta post videos on YouTube so you can embed that content all over your marketing footprint. Hey! Don’t forget to police those potentially hostile dealer-rater sites and put the smack down on any manager who wants to flame the fire. There's a whole lot more who's got time to write it all down! ;-) Joe Our pals Jeff Kershner and Alex Snyder over at DealerRefresh are tackling this exact question now. http://www.dealerrefresh.com/my_weblog/2008/07/are-internet-sp.html

IMO, if the store is large enough, then it needs a dedicated MARKETING manager who oversees all media and assists the UCM with merchandising tools for his lot.

I am a Marketing Director of a large Used Car retailer in NY.There are so many marketing points these days:

Traditional Media
TV, Radio, Newsprint, Direct Mail, Yellow Pages

New Media
Home Website,
Satellite Sites,
Email Campaigns,
CRM (and it’s 1,000 schedules),
3rd party PAID classified sites (‘trader, cars, etc…),
3rd party local classified sites (each market has at least one),
3rd party FREE classified lists (Base, vast, kiijii, and a zillion others),
Ebay, Craigs List, and on and on and on…
Then there are the social marketing sites to participate in. Don’t forget, You gotta post videos on YouTube so you can embed that content all over your marketing footprint. Hey! Don’t forget to police those potentially hostile dealer-rater sites and put the smack down on any manager who wants to flame the fire.

There’s a whole lot more who’s got time to write it all down! ;-)

Joe

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