A trend is developing in the used car industry: prices on used cars are up 30% since 2008 and they could go even higher. It’s not uncommon to see a 1999 Toyota Corolla on the road and it won’t be sputtering along covered in rust spots, either. Simply put, cars are being built better to last longer. If a car buyer can’t afford a new vehicle, they know they can put faith in a used car to last them longer than just the drive off the lot. With demand (and prices) on used vehicles growing higher every year, do you have the right stock of pre-owned vehicles? What’s your plan to get these on your lot? Read the rest of this entry »

You send out your direct mail, place newspaper ads and get radio spots all for your car dealer marketing efforts. In the end, what you really want to know is your ROI, and for a good reason. If you’re going to spend the time and money, you want to track the results that are being produced and know that your marketing plan is effective. Read the rest of this entry »

By now, we all know the value of SEO, or “search engine optimization,” and we potentially use it in our arsenal of automotive marketing.  But to many of us, including those who work with it, SEO is a big mystery. According to Google, there are over 200 SEO factors that go into search results. No one individual can know all of these. Read the rest of this entry »

75% of automotive customers use Facebook.  This should come as no surprise considering Facebook has more users than the population of almost every country in the world, including the United States.  But are these customers important for your business?  The answer is yes.  Not only are they important, but the future of your business depends on them.  In fact, active Facebook users represent your best customers – the ones who make up 60 to 80% of your revenue.   In a recent survey with U.S. automotive consumers, DMEa found that 57% of customers who spent at least $1,000 on automotive service in the past year visit Facebook at least once a day.  That is at least 27% more than lower spending groups. Read the rest of this entry »

After the creation of Facebook’s brand tagging feature, automotive marketing has a new tool at their disposal. Starting on May 11, Facebook users were able to tag more than just their friends in a picture – they could tag pages for brands, products and people. What does this mean for car dealer marketing? Read the rest of this entry »

With gas prices well above their average this time last year, we can’t expect the summer to bring any relief at the pump. Drivers are changing their habits to cope – driving less often, carpooling, walking, or even buying more fuel efficient vehicles. But do you have the right inventory for this response? Read the rest of this entry »

Foursquare.  Yelp.  Facebook Places.  Gowalla.  Loopt.  Brightkite.  Some of these you may have heard of…while you may accuse me of making some of them up on the spot.  The truth is that they are geolocation applications (often synonymous with geosocial) that are increasing in popularity and should become a part of your automotive marketing mix to drive traffic to your dealership. Read the rest of this entry »

When the earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan on March 11, 2011, it was a disaster that took its toll not only on the physical landscape and people of the small country, but also drastically affected a number of global industries.  One of the biggest industries affected by the destruction was the automotive industry.  According to Automotive News, the tsunami wiped out over 2,000 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles that were destined for showrooms in both Japan and the United States.  It was also reported that Toyota, who held the top spot as the world’s largest carmaker, would lose its rank (which it has held since 2008) due to the tsunami’s impact on their production.  Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, other carmakers…including American carmakers that merely rely on parts from Japan…are feeling the effects. Read the rest of this entry »

Tired of coming back from the factory meeting just to hear that you’re not on top in your city and that your local market share is slipping? Tired of wondering where to spend your money and finding it almost impossible to track what automotive marketing efforts actually work? Well, you’re not alone…far from it really. Many operators at car dealerships around the country feel the same way. So what do they do? Typically they react to the news by hiring a new advertising agency, redoing the marketing plan; and/or by firing a general manager or sales manager! Read the rest of this entry »