eCRM Chevrolet Dealer Of Year

1. Happy New Year
January 2007

5. • F&I Training
• Sales Training
• Menu Training
• Service Drive
Training
• Sales Management
Training
• Legal Seminars
• Used Car Management
Training
“It is sure to make myself and my
dealership more gross and retain
high CSI and customer loyalty.”
– Knapp Chevrolet
Visit us at the NADA Convention in February – Booth 5630
dealerinfo@afasinc.com • (800) 967-3633 • www.afasinc.com

8. eCRM Dealers of the Year
10 PatrickLuck
Arouse Emotion, Don’t Sell Logic
22 TomHopkins
Continuous Learning
24 BrianTracy
Kings Toyota
The Biggest Showroom in the Universe
26 PatrickLuck
Increase Your Online Profits by Rewriting Your Used
Car Manager’s Job Description
28 DavidKain
10 Stop Negotiating in the Business Office
Sell Whatcha’ Got
30
31
JeffMorrill
TonyDupaquier
Targeted Web Video and Your Ad Strategy, Part 1
32 PhilSura
Key Performance Indicators, Part 5
36 HeatherConary
Training Essential to Telephone Success
38 AlanRam
Personal Development is Personal,
and Commitment is Key 39 MichaelYork
Getting a Head Start:
Planning Your Direct Mail Marketing for the New Year
40 JimYoung
Brand Yourself
44 DavidThomas
Customer Segmentation:
Increasing Retention and Profitability
45 MelissaRimoldi
What Have We Done to Our Sales People
46 EricMélon
How to Start Off Winning
48 DeliaPassi
Never Ask a Question If You Don’t Already Know the Answer
50 RichardLibin
By Design or Default
Customer Pay Labor and Parts Profit Training
52 SteveLaPenta
The Art of Recruiting
56 DixonJudd
A New Year’s Resolution:
Break Up Your Unplowed Ground
58 JesseBiter
Car Sales 101: A Case Study
59 MarkTewart
Six Steps to a Great Presentation at Your Next Meeting, Part 1
60 PattiWood
Four Pillars of Prospecting
62 DirkZeller
Patrick Luck, Editor & Publisher Courtney Paris, Sales-improvement Strategist
luck43@sellingsuccessonline.com courtney.paris@sellingsuccessonline.com
Susan Givens, Vice President Brian Ankney, Sales-improvement Strategist
sgivens1@sellingsuccessonline.com super6@sellingsuccessonline.com
3411 Pinnacle Gardens Drive Thomas Williams, Creative Director Brian Balash, Sales-improvement Strategist
Louisville, Kentucky 40245 design@sellingsuccessonline.com bb11@sellingsuccessonline.com
Dave Davis, Creative Strategist & Editor Toni Stephens, Sales-improvement Strategist
toll free: 877.818.6620
ddavis@sellingsuccessonline.com tstephens@sellingsuccessonline.com
facsimile: 502.588.3170
Cori Frye, Sales-improvement Strategist
web: www.SellingSuccessOnline.com cfrye@sellingsuccessonline.com
helping to promote...
James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.
God is the source of all supply
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10. • Tasca.com
• Walser.com
• Sheehy.com
• RickCase.com
• RedMcCombs.com
• ParagonHonda.com
• HerbChambers.com
• HouseofCourtesy.com
• DaveSmithMotors.com
• HarveyAutos.com
ers know and expect more from their dealers
than ever before.
Therein lays the challenge and the opportuni-
ty. Smart dealers are meeting and exceeding
these customers’ expectations. Top perform-
ing dealers have used the Internet to increase
their retail sales by 20 to 25 percent and to
improve the profitability of their F&I, Service
and Parts Departments as well. Although dif-
ferent dealers’ strategies vary, there are some
essential elements that most successful dealers
possess. AutoSuccess looks for the following
five key elements to determine the winners of
the eCRM Dealers of the Year Awards:
• WELL-DEFINED STRATEGY: A detailed
marketing plan with clear objectives to attract
traffic to their site, phones and showroom.
• HIGH-IMPACT WEB SITE: A customer-
friendly site that is innovative, engaging and
informative, and that promotes all profit cen-
Our staff at AutoSuccess nomenon. This revolutionary medium has en- ters of the dealership.
is dedicated to address- abled dealerships to generate substantial returns • POWERFUL CRM TOOL: A fully au-
ing the specific needs on their investment by utilizing the innovation tomated prospect management tool that will
of new car and light of the Internet and CRM to promote all profit manage and measure all of their leads and drive
truck dealerships by centers within their dealership – from new and quality traffic to the phones and showroom.
providing cutting-edge, used sales, to F&I, to parts and service. • INNOVATIVE MARKETING: Effective
solution-based resolu- media-enriched e-mails and phone scripts to
tions to aid dealers in Dealers are spending more and more money on contact prospects.
becoming more suc- mass advertising that has increased in cost and • PEOPLE & PROCESS: Well trained and
by Patrick Luck cessful, and ultimately decreased in effectiveness. The most frustrat- dedicated Internet specialists to sell appoint-
to establish the results ing part of this equation is that dealers cannot ments and well-equipped sales consultants to
they desire: increased profits. In the process of measure the return on their advertising invest- build value in the dealership and the vehicle.
providing research-based innovative solutions, ment. That is why many successful dealers are • PRECISION MEASUREMENT &
the AutoSuccess team incorporates the input of shifting their ad spending from mass advertis- TRACKING: Measurable results and auto-
hundreds of dealers nationwide. ing to targeted digital marketing that has a bet- mated reports to track metrics in order to con-
ter return and is more measurable. tinually refine processes and improve results.
In an effort to recognize the outstanding digital
marketing initiatives and campaigns among the Another trend that has influenced dealer ad- Winning entries tell a great story of marketing
nation’s most successful dealers, AutoSuccess vertising is the influence the Internet is having challenges, demonstrate excellence in market-
honors those dealers who have effectively lev- on how customers are beginning their buying ing strategy and objectives, show measurable
eraged the power of the Internet and CRM to process. Statistics consistently show a grow- results and describe the unique lessons learned
harness substantial results. What our research ing increase in the number of customers who from their marketing campaign or program.
has shown is that the nation’s top performing have used the Web to research information at The end result is a smarter marketing strategy
dealers are harnessing their knowledge, experi- some point during the process of purchasing a that uses intelligent digital marketing tools and
ence and resources toward this marketing phe- vehicle. CSI surveys reveal that these custom- training to sell more cars for less cost.
10

11. Tasca Auto Group
Accelerating from eCRM to eSatisfaction with 63% Customer Loyalty
What better way for one
of the nation’s fast-
est growing dealers
to spend his spare
time than behind
the wheel of a modi-
fied ’07 Shelby Mus-
tang making 3,500
hp and accelerating
to 210 mph in just
3.7 seconds! That’s
no ordinary car; it’s a
National Hot Rod As-
sociation Top Alcohol
Funny Car piloted
by Bob Tasca III.
Likewise, Tasca Automotive Group is no ordi-
nary dealership. The Tasca Group has grown “Our Digital Marketing System turns traffic into leads while pro-
from a small one-rooftop store to a multi-fran- viding the kind of online experience that fits with the Tasca Way.”
chise auto group in the New England area. - Bob Tasca III
Tasca Automotive Group is now operated by
third generation Tasca family members led by 1. Customized marketing lists for targeted More and more successful dealerships are us-
prospects ing the Internet to communicate with their cus-
auto enthusiast/pilot Bob Tasca III. Their con-
2. Media enriched customized bulk e-mail tomers because it is effective, convenient and
tinued growth and success can be attributed to campaigns inexpensive. “Our customers love our buzz-
the “Tasca Way” of doing business which fo- 3. Automated delivery of graphic and multime-
mails,” adds Bob, “These customized, multi-
cuses on customer satisfaction. dia digital presentations via e-mail
4. Integration of optional promotional and cus- media mini-commercials are loaded with inter-
tom features active features that keep the customer engaged
The scope of Customer Relation Management 5. Management of calls, appointments and pro- while obtaining the information they are seek-
has evolved into more than just the face to face cesses ing. When it comes down to it, whatever we’re
encounter on the showroom floor. Through the 6. Automated and measurable results doing is working!”
power of the Internet and digital marketing,
fully automated CRM tools are providing the THE BOTTOM LINE
opportunity for today’s successful dealerships
to take customer satisfaction to a new level. • Tasca.com awarded E-Dealer Of The Year three consecutive years.
Not only are the Tasca Customer Satisfaction
Indexes among the highest in the nation, the
• Tasca is the largest Ford Motor Company dealer in New England.
technology of their automated CRM tools have
been instrumental in increasing online sales
• Tasca has partnered with BZ Results to make the shift to digital
by more than 84 units per month. “Our online
marketing and to sell an additional 80 + units per month.
presence is a whole new way to communicate
with our client base. Our philosophy at this • Tasca’s customer loyalty rating is above 63 percent and their CSI is
dealership for more than 20 years has been to among the highest in the nation.
rely on repeat and referral business, and our
CRM provides a better way to serve our cus- • Tasca uses automated CRM technology to improve customer service.
tomers,” explains Bob. “Here’s what an effec-
tive CRM tool should provide:” • Tasca Auto Group thrives on repeat and referral business.
11

12. The Walser Group
Executing Success: Increasing Closing Ratio to 20 Percent
Walser Automotive has
joined the revolu-
tion, implement-
ing a centralized
eStrategy in 12
franchises. Estab-
lished in 1956,
Walser Automotive
has grown into a
network of top qual-
ity dealerships across
Minnesota who are
committed to offering
the best service in
the industry. What
makes the Walser Group unique is their “ne-
gotiation-free” philosophy, which they call
the “Walser Way.”
“We understand the importance of process and execution, and as a result have
built a great foundation in terms of percentages and closing ratios.”
Walser Automotive has a fundamentally dif- - Andrew Walser
ferent approach to the car buying experience.
The core principle of the Walser Way is to couple of stores in the mid 20s! That’s quite year creating goals and perfecting processes.
give the absolute lowest price up front – no a bit higher than the national average of 5 Andrew Walser is passionate about his com-
negotiating, no waiting. The same policy ap- percent.” mitment to centralizing processes and ex-
plies to every new and pre-owned vehicle. ecuting on them. Even with the spectacular
The Walser Way empowers the customer and Without the right people and the right pro- results they have seen thus far, 2007 is sure
associate by giving them both the sovereign cesses in place, the greatest technology in to hold great promise for this extraordinary
control to make the deal. It is up-front. It is the world is a wasted investment. Newcom- results-driven dealership group. With the
honest. And it is simple. Everyone pays the er to the arena of Top eCRM Dealers of the right tools, people and processes in place, the
same low price…fast, fair and easy. Year, Walser Automotive has spent this past only thing left to do is make it happen.
Walser Automotive knows the importance THE BOTTOM LINE
of having the right people and the right pro-
cess in place. Since implementing a new • Walser Automotive has implemented a new Digital Marketing Strategy.
Digital Marketing Strategy within the last
year, owner Andrew Walser explains, “The
• Walser Automotive knows the importance of having the right process.
greatest accomplishment since hiring our
new Digital Marketing Consultant is that we
• The BDC staff successfully sets appts on 32 percent of leads at Walser.com.
have centralized a consistent process in all
of our 12 franchises. We understand the im-
portance of process and execution, and as a • Walser Automotive has increased closing ratios up to 20+ percent in two
franchises.
result have built a great foundation in terms
of percentages and closing ratios. Currently • The Walser Way is a “negotiation-free” philosophy. Everyone pays the
we are setting appointments on 32 percent of same low price.
our leads with an 80 percent show up rate. • Walser Automotive conversion ratio is 10 to 15 percent higher than the
That’s generating a 15-17 percent conver- national average.
sion ratio on our total leads. We even have a
12

13. Sheehy Automotive
Continued Success – Increased Results up to 700 Percent
Since implementing their
new digital market-
ing strategy a few
years ago, Sheehy
Automotive has
steadily increased
their leads, and are
now up to the 700
percent mark! This
proves that a clear
strategy, complete
with the right people,
process and tools de-
signed to utilize the
Internet to improve
business is not just a
passing fad with tem-
porary results, but the
way of the future for
automobile retailers. Let’s take a look at how
a large volume dealership group in the highly
competitive DC area transformed their average
Internet department into a whole new profit
“We worked with a results-oriented automotive Internet consulting firm to build a
generating center.
complete strategy including the redesign of our Web site, staffing and training the
Sheehy Automotive, with 18 franchises within team, implementing a process, establishing pricing and fine-tuning lead manage-
13 dealerships across Maryland and Virginia, ment.” - Roy Reutter, Internet Director at Sheehy
had immediate results following the imple-
mentation of their strategy. In the initial two media has enabled us to increase traffic and marketing strategy, they have seen the average
months, their BDC had increased leads by 230 sales at a lower cost than ever.” cost per sale drop from more than $500 per sale
percent which translated into an additional 279 to about $130.
units in one month. They are now generating With Internet marketing, everything is mea-
3,449 leads per month and have exceeded their surable. Performance metrics help track your The most important metrics to track:
goal of 300 sales per month with an all-time dealership’s performance and the return on • Number of visitors to Web site
high of 414 sales from the Internet Department. your investment. It’s important to have the • Conversion Ratio
Not only has Sheehy maintained their steady right CRM tool that will integrate and automate
• Closing Ratio
growth, they’re decreasing their cost per sale data so that your strategies can be updated and
revised when needed. Reutter added that the • Average gross profit
in the process.
measurability of ROI on the Internet is unparal- • Cost per sale by lead source
Sheehy Automotive began with a business plan leled in the car business. In tracking their new
that outlined what they needed to do to use the
Web to grow their business. Roy Reutter, In- THE BOTTOM LINE
ternet director at Sheehy, indicated that in the
beginning they were relying on third party
• Sheehy sold 414 units online in just one month.
lead providers for their leads and sales. “We
quickly realized that we needed more than just
a Web site and a few third-party lead provid- • After launching the new Web site, Sheehy went from 400 to 1,350 leads in
ers,” explains Reutter. “We worked with a re- only 60 days, and today it generates more than 3,400 leads per month.
sults-oriented automotive Internet consulting
firm to build a complete strategy including the • The closing ratio for the leads from Sheehy.com is three to four times
redesign of our Web site, staffing and training higher, and the cost per sale is about $130 per car.
the team, implementing a process, establishing
pricing, and fine-tuning lead management," • Sheehy.com is designed to drive phone and showroom traffic, and the
Reutter added. Web site is now its No. 1 source of phone leads.
On the topic of marketing, Reutter reflects, “If • Sheehy's Web site vendor positions it on search engines and helps mar-
you can’t generate traffic you might as well ket the Web site online and through multimedia e-mail campaigns.
not have a Web site. Search Engine Optimiza-
tion in conjunction with multi-media buzzmail • www.Sheehy.com has been recognized as one of the top eCRM Dealers
campaigns blended with traditional marketing of the Year for three years in a row.
13

14. Rick Case
eCommerce Dept. Sells Additional 250 Units per Month
Rick Case sold his first
car at the ripe age
of 14 years old. It
was an old “fixer-
upper” which
he purchased,
tweaked, and then
resold for a profit.
Rick claims he
made more on that
one car than he
had made all year
as a paper delivery
boy. And so the leg-
end began. By 1965
Rick had opened his
first Honda vehicle
franchise, and estab-
lished his stature as
having a keen eye for how innovation can
lead to opportunities.
Today the Rick Case Automotive Group,
comprised of 14 dealerships throughout Fort "RickCase.com has unique features such as Virtual Test Drives which provide the
Lauderdale, Atlanta and Cleveland, is enjoy- customer with a multimedia vehicle tour that highlights the unique features of the
ing tremendous growth in its eCommerce vehicle they’re interested in.” - Rick Case, Owner
initiatives, doubling their Internet sales from
250 to more than 500 units per month while
cutting their cost per sale from $340 per car SEO/SEM and our technology partner who 30 percent. All leads go to our lead manage-
to only $210. employs two “Google Certified” experts to ment tool, which makes it quick and easy to
help generate more high quality leads. We execute campaigns at any time.
How has the Rick Case Automotive Group use mix of organic SEO, which costs less but 4. Create effective, low-cost e-mail cam-
achieved incremental sales and a boost in takes time to establish, and SEM which pro- paigns: With our new CRM tool we can
profitability during this growth period? One vides more immediate and predictable results. reach hundreds and even thousands of pros-
key to recent success at the Rick Case Auto- SEM ads are purchased through competitive pects and existing customers. We’re able to
motive Group was their switch in technology bids and are easier to budget. create unique mini-commercials that grab
and training vendors. The group put together 3. Establish a strategy to populate e-mail the customers’ attention and prompt them to
a new eCommerce strategy that combines the database: Holding our team accountable come in or contact the dealership. If they
power of search engine marketing, search in both sales and service, we have seen our don’t contact us, our highly trained CRC
engine optimization, and e-mail campaigns e-mail address capture rate increase nearly team follows up until they do.
to increase traffic. Their new e-marketing
strategy, complete with new Web site tech- THE BOTTOM LINE
nology and design, helped generate an aver-
age of 5000 leads per month. They’re even • Rick Case used eCommerce strategy to increase sales from 250 to 500+
selling an additional 250 units per month out in just 9 months.
of their eCommerce Department.
• Rick Case Automotive Group is comprised of 14 dealerships throughout
Rick and Rita share their Marketing Best Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta & Cleveland.
Practices:
• RickCase.com and new eMarketing strategy generate an average of
1. Build the right Web site: www.RickCase. 5,000 leads per month.
com is more than just a Web site; it’s a Vir-
tual Dealership which serves as our own re- • The Rick Case Automotive Group used their new e-marketing strategy
gional buying service. Our site along with to cut cost per sale from $340 per car to only $210.
innovative SEM strategies drives more qual-
ity traffic to the dealership which increases • The Rick Case Automotive Group uses SEO and SEM to dominate search
leads, reduces reliance on third-party lead engine results.
providers, and lowers costs.
2. Implement the right balance of SEO/ • Rick Case uses their CRM system to communicate special offers to en-
SEM: To attract today’s shoppers, we rely on tire customer database.
14

15. Red McCombs
A Texas-Sized Legend: Selling 500 Online Units per Month
Everything is bigger in
Texas, including the
results from Red
McCombs’ digital
marketing initia-
tives. Successful
implementation
of digital market-
ing strategies is the
key to success for
the nation’s top per-
forming dealerships.
Capitalizing on the
power of digital
marketing, Red Mc-
Combs.com is leading
the way to success by
establishing Red Mc-
Combs as one of the
largest dealerships in
the country. After
successfully estab-
lishing their presence
on the Web, www.RedMcCombs.com enabled
their eCommerce Department to increase sales
volume from 40 vehicles to over 500 vehicles
per month! Tony Rimas, director of eCom-
merce, provides a summary of what it takes to “Our Digital Marketing System continues to provide us with consistent re-
achieve phenomenal success with digital mar- sults, increased sales and customer satisfaction at a lower cost per sale.”
keting. - Tony Rimas - eCommerce Director Red McCombs
FIVE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLE-
MENTATION OF DIGITAL MARKETING media enriched Web site and a fully automated only a great Web site, and that’s not the case.
CRM tool to create a 24 hour profit center. Tony Rimas explains: “Initially we had a pretty
1. The Right Vision: With the help of a quali- 4. The Right People: In order to get the right nice Web site, but we weren’t getting the results
fied automotive Internet specialist, define a results, you need to staff your team with edu- we wanted. We hired BZ Results who provided
clear vision of your dealership goals and spe- cated, well trained specialists who are passion- us with a complete digital marketing solution
cifically how you plan to get there. ate about what they do. including a high-end, custom Web site, search
2. The Right Strategy: Devise a plan that in- 5. The Right Process: Devise a step-by-step engine marketing, custom multi-media e-mail
volves commitment from the top. In order to action plan to maintain a successful CRM strat- campaigns, a CRM tool that automates follow-
effect change throughout the dealership, you egy. Monitor and measure all of the dealership up and the training to tie everything together.
need management commitment and direct in- lead and prospect activity. Our DMS system continues to provide Red
volvement from the dealer to the management McCombs with everything we need to attract,
team. Having the right combination of people, tools sell, and create loyal customers. The proof is
3. The Right Technology: Your digital mar- and processes in place will make it happen.
keting strategy should include a cutting-edge, in our results.”
Some dealers think they will get results with
THE BOTTOM LINE
• Since implementing its new Digital Marketing System, Red McCombs
continues to sell an additional 500 cars a month.
• With the right people, tools, and processes, Red McCombs has increased
gross profits from $60k per month to over $750k per mo.
• Red McCombs uses e-mail marketing campaigns and search engine
placement to increase sales and lower costs.
• Red McCombs increased its closing ratio from 3 percent to 19 percent
by automating much of its follow-up.
• Red McCombs uses Search Engine Optimization to dominate search
engine placement.
• Award winning RedMcCombs.com is generating more quality leads
while building customer loyalty.
15

16. Paragon Honda
Keys to Success Generate 200% Sales Increase While Lowering Costs
The last three years have
been quite an ex-
perience for Para-
gon Honda/Acura
and partners Brian
Benstock and Paul
Singer. Not only
did the dealership
increase their own
Web site sales by a
spectacular 1,000
percent, they also in-
creased their overall
sales by over 200 per-
cent according to their
factory reports. Results
like these have earned
www.ParagonCars.
com the Golden Web
Award and three-
peat eCRM Dealer of the Year. What’s the key
to their success? In the latter part of 2003, Ben-
stock and Singer decided to completely change
their marketing strategy to leverage the power “After the first four months we left the newspaper and saved over $100,000 in ad-
of the Web and CRM and take the dealership to vertising. The best part is that while our advertising expense decreased our sales
the next level. “After the first four months we increased by almost 200 percent.” - Brian Benstock
left the newspaper and saved over $100,000 in
advertising. The best part is that while our ad-
vertising expense decreased our sales increased couple others. 8. Training: Training holds the key to sustained
by almost 200 percent,” said Benstock. 5. People: We staff our CRC with people whose results. To launch our new system, we con-
only job is to sell the appointment and allow the ducted a manager’s strategy bootcamp and then
Below Benstock and Singer share their own top sales person to sell the car. systematically trained everyone in the CRC on
10 tips for building an unbeatable e-commerce 6. Process: We’ve been able to increase sales the best phone, follow-up and sales skills the in-
and CRM strategy and the secrets to Paragon’s without a drastic increase in staff and overhead dustry has to offer.
phenomenal success. because 75 percent of our follow-up process is 9. Measure/Manage: Set up automatic reports
automated with a prospect management tool. on everything you need to improve your busi-
Paragon 9 Keys to Success: 7. Pricing: Selling cars on the Internet is not ness: the number of leads by source, response
1. Start with a Plan: Launching a new Web site, about giving cars away. If we do not ask for rate and time, appointment percent, show per-
a CRC and an eCommerce marketing strategy a fair profit we won’t get one so we aim to be cent, closing percent, cost per lead, cost per
can be overwhelming. With the help of technol- competitive while maintaining a fair profit. sale, etc.
ogy partner, we created a detailed action plan for
every step.
2. Technology: Find a total system that includes
THE BOTTOM LINE
a high-end custom Web site, a suite of multi-me-
• Paragon’s overall sales have increased by almost 200 percent incremen-
dia e-mails to drive traffic and a prospecting and
tally year to date over last year according to their factory reports.
CRM tool that automates much of the e-mail
activity. Our Web site generates measurable re-
• Paragon’s digital marketing strategy made them No. 1 in Certified Pre-
sults: www.ParagonAuto.com.
Owned in their region and No. 3 in the US.
3. Marketing: Traffic exploded immediately
upon implementing our new system thanks to • Honda Motors Corp reports that Paragon’s closing ratio increased from
the use of advanced search engine placement and 9 to 25 percent which translates into a 300 percent higher closing ratio
bulk e-mail marketing. We select from hundreds than the national average.
of multimedia campaigns to send thousands of
buzzmails every month to generate measurable • Paragon has decreased their cost per sale from $500 to $100 per unit.
traffic at no additional cost.
4. Referral Services: Track your closing ratio
and cost per sale by lead source and you can • Paragon’s eMarketing has increased the traffic on their site from 4,000
eliminate the poor performing lead providers. to 20,000+ new visitors per month.
We found that the leads from our Web site have • Paragon has seen a 300 percent increase in the effectiveness of their
the best closing ratio compared with other lead e-marketing tools which has been the key driver to their overall growth in
sources, although we did keep AutoTrader and a new & pre-owned sales.
16

17. Herb Chambers
Selling Additional 600-700 Vehicles Online
As a young boy, Herb
Chambers used to
ride his bike to a
local dealership
just to look at new
Buicks. Little did
he know that he was
destined to become
the largest automo-
bile dealer in New
England grossing
over $1.4 billion in
sales just last year.
An article was recently
written for The Boston
Globe about how Herb
Chambers’ passion
for high performance
autos fuels his love
for the automobile
business. The article featured Chambers’ col-
lection of 15-20 fabulous new and vintage cars
which he loves to drive, and was appropriately
entitled, “What Herb Chambers Drives.” With
the tremendous success that Herb Chambers “We measure everything and hold regular meetings to discuss our progress and to
has accomplished, owning 23 dealerships at find ways to fine-tune our processes. The customized reports give us the informa-
last count, a more fitting topic would be, “What tion we need, the number of leads by source, response rate, appointment percent-
drives Herb Chambers?”
age, show percentage, closing percentage and cost per sale.” - Jay Gubala
Herb Chambers purchased his first car deal-
ership in 1985 in New London, Connecticut, vehicles. Once he found the right technology visible on the Internet with listings ahead of
and within a span of a few years has grown his partner, HerbChambers.com began to lever- their competitors.
enterprise into one of the largest in the coun- age the cutting-edge technology of innovative
try. What drives Herb Chambers is his undy- high-impact Web sites and digital marketing To tie it all together, HerbChambers.com relies
ing commitment to provide the highest quality tools like animated multi-media e-mails into on their fully integrated, fully automated CRM
service to his customers, and to operate profes- all its dealerships in order to make good on his Tool for measurement and reporting. “You
sionally managed dealerships committed to be- commitment to provide the highest quality ser- cannot manage what you cannot measure,”
ing leaders in the market areas they serve. vice to their customers. explains Jay Gubala, group eBusiness direc-
tor. “We measure everything and hold regular
How does Herb Chambers sell an additional Herb Chambers utilizes the ever-evolving tech- meetings to discuss our progress and to find
600-700 vehicles over the Internet alone and nology of Search Engine Marketing and Search ways to fine-tune our processes. The custom-
continue to provide the highest-quality service Engine Optimization to ensure top ranking ized reports give us the information we need,
to his customers? The answer is revealed in among the world’s most popular search en- the number of leads by source, response rate,
the question through the power of the Internet. gines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. An ef- appointment percentage, show percentage,
Herb Chambers knew early on that the Internet fective SEM/SEO combination customized to closing percentage and cost per sale,” adds
would revolutionize the way consumers buy their needs makes HerbChambers.com highly Gubala.
THE BOTTOM LINE
• Herb Chambers is the largest Dealer in New England.
• HerbChambers.com sells an additional 600-700 units per month online.
• www.HerbChambers.com is a nationally acclaimed award-winning site.
• HerbChambers.com utilizes SEM/SEO to dominate the market.
• Herb Chambers was named 2005 and 2006 eCRM Dealer of the Year.
17

18. Courtesy Chevrolet
Excusing the Competition: Selling Additional 384 Units in One Month
In 1955, on the outskirts
of town off of East
Camelback Road,
the dreams of
two individuals
become a reality.
Edward Fitzgerald
together with his
partner, R. Mitchel
McLure, estab-
lished a dealership
that was destined to
become one of the
largest automobile
franchises in the Unit-
ed States. It all began
in an old farm house
which served as the
showroom and office, with a tiny shed out
back that doubled as a makeshift garage and
make-ready area. In spite of such a mod-
est beginning, Courtesy Chevrolet, located
“Our new digital marketing strategy and high-end media-enriched Web site have
in Phoenix, Arizona is now leveraging the
increased our leads by more than 400 percent.”
power of the Internet to dominate the market
- Scott Gruwell
in the Valley of the Sun.
Courtesy Chevrolet Vice President and them before they fall trap to third party lead tant factor in launching a successful BDC,
Dealer Operator William Gruwell has been providers who sell our leads to competitors,” Scott Gruwell tells us, “If you can’t generate
a partner in the business since 1981. Upon Paglia adds. “Our ROI has gone up, our cost traffic, the BDC will be an expensive fail-
the passing of Fitzgerald in 2000, Gruwell per sale has dropped, and our traffic and in- ure.” Courtesy relies on CRM tool buzztrak
became a partner with Mrs. Fitzgerald, and cremental sales have skyrocketed.” In one for e-mail marketing and search engine mar-
today they employ over 400 staff members, month alone, HouseofCourtesy.com gener- keting to generate more traffic. “Our new
all of which have helped to build Courtesy ated an additional 384 units with a cost per digital marketing strategy and high-end me-
Chevrolet into the icon of success that it is sale ranging from only $125 to $200. dia-enriched Web site designed by BZ Re-
today. In recent years, William Gruwell’s sults have increased our leads by more than
sons, Mark and Scott, have worked in sales, When asked to name the single most impor- 400 percent,” adds Gruwell.
and are now used and new car sales manag-
ers, respectively.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Business Development Center at Cour-
tesy Chevrolet, under the direction of Ralph • Courtesy Chevrolet uses HouseofCourtesy.com to promote all of the
Paglia, sets the pace in the automobile indus- profit centers within the dealership.
try today because of their awesome success
in digital marketing. The foundation of the • Courtesy Chevrolet’s BDC helped sell 384 extra cars and generate $582k
BDC at Courtesy Chevrolet is a success- in one month.
fully implemented Search Engine Marketing
strategy along with a cutting-edge technol- • Courtesy Chevrolet consistently recognized as one of the top Chevy
ogy rich Web site. Together the combina- dealers in the United States.
tion promotes and drives all of their profit
centers within the dealership. Paglia uses • Courtesy Chevrolet was named one of the Top 10 eCRM Dealers of the
targeted banner campaigns as an effective Year 2004, 2005 and 2006.
online marketing medium that allows Cour-
• Courtesy’s Web site and BDC took them from 40 sales to 384 sales after
tesy Chevrolet to market directly to people
a two-year period.
living within the geographic areas around
their dealership. “Our main goal is to be • Courtesy’s cost per sale ranges from $125-$200 since installing their
where our customers are and try to capture new marketing and BDC system.
18

19. Dave Smith Motors
No. 1 Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dealer
Dave Smith is breaking
the mold. Dave
Smith Motors is
located in Kellogg,
Idaho, a small rural
mining town with a
population of 2,400.
With technology cre-
ated in-house, Smith
is using the power
of the Internet to in-
crease sales and prof-
its - and increase they
did. His efforts have
yielded Dave Smith
Motors the recognition
of being the larg-
est Dodge Chrysler
Jeep Dealer in the world for the third year, and
the largest GMC Dealer in the Northwest. Dave
Smith Motors is selling over 400 Internet-lead
ating/follow-up systems available on the mar- Lead Rocket also helps management track CSI.
vehicles a month with CRM technology that
ket. I then put in a full-out press on developing All sales associates must maintain a minimum
he developed and implemented. But for Ken
a Web site and then started developing our of 95 percent customer satisfaction score. At
Smith, president of the dealership, size doesn’t
Lead Rocket. Today it’s a completely different Dave Smith Motors, they expect high scores,
matter. His aggressiveness and creative mind
system than what we’d originally developed.” which means associates have to take care
has helped the dealership he took over from
of the customer. As an intranet system, Lead
his father grow to a $250 million business in a
Dave Smith Motors’ system also has a CRM Rocket lets anyone within the dealership send
county of only 14,000 people.
tool to help track leads. It requires site visitors electronic messages throughout the store. The
to provide extensive information before they system features in-house classified ads, lists all
In the early 1980s Dave Smith developed the
can submit the request, which helps get bet- accessory prices and phone numbers for all em-
one-price system and continues today with
ter-quality leads. Lead Rocket time and date ployees. And, because the system is tied into
this “hassle-free” buying philosophy. Smith
stamps the leads, and then turns them over their phone system, they know who the caller
draws customers from as far away as Alaska,
to the Internet team manager who distributes is when they phone and which sales associate
California and Colorado because they all get
them among the 25 dedicated Internet sales as- they’re working with.
the same bargain-basement deal - no haggling
sociates. Overflow leads go to the other sales
over discounts. When the company first got
associates in the main showroom.
started with the Internet and CRM, its approach
was to sell at a price lower than MSRP-plus,
so it started its own pricing system. The com- THE BOTTOM LINE
panies had about 10 computer programmers at
one time punching numbers to automate pric- • Dave Smith Motors is the world’s largest Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dealer for
ing to give customers an immediate, automated three consecutive years.
price. They decided that they wanted to be
ahead of the competition and ahead of the mar- • Their Web site helps them sell more than $600,000 a month in acces-
ket technologically as long as they could. Ken
sories.
says, “When the Internet came about around
• Their system includes a CRM tool to capture information and stay in
1992 we decided we wanted to be the dealer contact with the customer.
in the Internet field. At the time we started, we
weren’t doing much Internet business, and we
• Dave Smith Motors is the largest GMC Dealer in the Northwest.
weren’t sure where it would take us. But we did
know that if we could be first into it and could
keep updating our Internet sites and keep on • Dave Smith Motors has used the Internet and CRM to help grow its op-
progressing with it, we might succeed. eration into a $250 million business.
That’s why we developed our own system, be- • The dealership has a team of dedicated Internet sales associates to
cause at that time there weren’t any lead-gener-
handle all inbound leads.
19

20. Harvey Autos
Becoming No. 1 Online Dealer in State by Selling 70+ Additional Units/Month
Within the last year,
Harvey Autos has
increased its on-
line sales by 70-80
additional units per
month, a healthy
increase from sell-
ing only 5-8 units
per month just a few
short months ago.
This significant in-
crease is due to the
implementation of a
new digital marketing
strategy. This small
dealership in Bossier
City, Louisiana is
now on their way to
staking claim of being the largest on-line sales
dealership in Louisiana.
Harvey Autos hired an Internet marketing con- “Our technology partner provided us with a cutting-edge Web site fully equipped with
sulting firm with automobile expertise to de- state of the art features. Our new Web site serves as a digital marketing center that
sign and create their site based on the needs and drives traffic straight to our showroom.” - Gloria Williams, eCommerce Director
interests of consumers in their region. Gloria
Williams, eCommerce director, explains, “Our ness, it builds value in our dealership. Another keep the customer engaged in the buying cy-
technology partner provided us with a cutting- nice feature is “Virtual Test Drive” which gives cle,” added Williams.
edge Web site fully equipped with state of the the consumer a multi-media tour of the vehicle
art features. Our new Web site serves as a digi- they are interested in. Whether the customer is Now that the BDC Team at Harvey Auto has a
tal marketing center that drives traffic straight a high-speed or dial-up user, the tours engage good handle on Internet and incoming phone
to our showroom. We used the tools and train- the consumers and intimately connect them to opportunities, the game plan is to grow addi-
ing provided by our new partners to establish the vehicle. Other features that our customers tional opportunities with Search Engine Mar-
HarveyAutos.com as the primary Internet buy- comment on are the unique “Why Buy” buzz- keting. Their goal is for 100+ units alone from
ing service for our region. Our new Web site is mails or “Trade In Tutorial” micro Web sites the BDC Department and are expanding the
key to generating Internet leads, phone traffic that can be sent to our customers with links to department with another staffer to help with
and showroom traffic while promoting all of our specials, coupons and contact forms that the load.
our profit centers within the dealership.”
Harvey Autos needed to find an effective way
THE BOTTOM LINE
to lead their new-age customers to their Web
• Harvey Autos uses mass Search Engine Marketing to attract new buyers
site instead of to their competitors’ Web sites.
because it is inexpensive and produces a high return.
Gloria adds, “We also take advantage of ad-
vanced Search Engine Marketing to promote • Harvey Autos has trained their people on a successful process to in-
our Web site. SEM ensures that we get listed crease their appointments and show ratios.
ahead of competitors on the popular search en-
gines. I don’t know exactly how the formula • Harvey Autos uses a customer management system to manage and
works, but I know it’s effective. We have seen measure all of their customer activity.
our leads more than double and our phones are
ringing off the hook!” • Harvey Autos uses their CRM tool to automate their e-mail and follow
up activity.
Results are what effective Web sites are all
• Harvey Autos uses Internet marketing to improve their profits in sales &
about. “Our Web site has consistently con-
service departments while reducing overall advertising costs.
verted five to six times more visitors into leads
over our previous site. Because our site was • Harvey Autos has dominated the search engines to create a regional
created by experts who understand the car busi- buying service at www.HarveyAutos.com.
20

22. sts fos ls ms sf fis
TomHopkins
sales and training solution
Arouse Emotion,
Don’t Sell Logic
What is the emotional something that helps them satisfy their needs, the GPS systems and find no reason to have
process that leads to reinforce their image about that purchase. it other than the fact that suddenly they want
the purchase of a new Avoid worn-out phrases they’ve heard a it. It’s the latest and greatest. None of their
vehicle? It begins with thousand times. Stay away from the words friends have it. They start to feel excited,
a new development in clients stopped believing years ago. important and “rich” in thinking that they’ll
the buyer’s self-image. be ahead of the crowd by being the first in
That is, the buyers see themselves in a new Concentrate on your customers. Say their group of friends to own it.
way — as the owners of that new car, truck, sincere and positive things that reflect their
van or SUV and all the status it affords uniqueness, and you’ll not only make sales, Or, they might be feeling the pull to get it
them. you’ll create clients who’ll send you referrals because their friends already have it and
and buy from you again. can’t stop talking about how cool it is or how
If the projected vehicle purchase is small much time it has saved them.
in relation to the buyer’s income, the self- The key is to be disciplined to wait for
image change need only be small. But if the positive input. Unless you do that, you’ll find As you work at developing the skills to evoke
purchase is a large one, the change in self- yourself going on and on about something emotions in your customers, always keep
image that makes the purchase possible will they don’t like, and before you know it, that concept in mind. You can destroy sales
be large. Such a change can come about very you’re caught in a web of obvious insincerity. as rapidly as you can create them through the
quickly, though. It can take place within a Stick to the facts. clumsy use of, or the lack of control over,
few minutes, or even within a few seconds. the emotional setting. Also remember that
The mere fact that you’re a sales person will your actions, manners, words (how you say
Champion automotive sales people are adept arouse their negative emotions and they’ll them), your grooming and your clothes are
at spotting these changes in self-image as want to emotionally fight you. You need all things that trigger emotions in your future
they occur during sales presentations. They to get their emotions focused on their own clients — whether you want them to or not.
are quick to reinforce the buyers’ realization needs and desires in relation to the vehicle
that they can have, enjoy, deserve, need and they’re interested in. Then, you’ll build their There’s no way around it. People will
are worthy of the marvelous new vehicle emotions to where they will have convinced react emotionally to you. It is important
they like. Do that, and they won’t just like it; themselves of the decision to own. not to have them react with fear, anger or
they’ll want it, need it and realize they can’t disgust. To see some sales people approach
get along without it — then they’ll buy it. To get a thorough education in the emotions clients as though they had just fallen off the
that sell, watch television commercials, garbage truck, you’d swear that they don’t
First, be genuinely interested in doing your especially those aimed at children. Logic realize that future clients have feelings, too.
best for them. Once they see that you’re in sales is a gun without a trigger. You can Clients suffer the effects of fear when a
on their side, they’ll begin to like you and twirl it all you care to, but you can’t fire it. sales person comes on too strong; clients get
trust you. Then, they will tell you what Emotion is the trigger. You can hit the target angry when a sales person patronizes them;
they’re seeking to accomplish. Rise above with it. Every time you generate another clients feel disgust when a sales person is
the limitations of your own tastes and positive emotion, you’re pulling the trigger non-professional. Play the odds. Always
preferences. Recognize that what’s right for on another accurate shot at closing the sale. be professional and keep their emotions in
you isn’t right for everyone, and make an mind when meeting new people. Do that and
intense effort to see the world through your No skill that you can acquire in sales will you’ll close more sales.
customer’s eyes. enhance your earning power more than
learning how to arouse emotions in your
Second, use your expertise to guide your buyers in ways that are positive to the sale.
customers to the best solution, which your The exact words that you use will depend on
World-renowned master sales trainer Tom
inventory provides, for them. your offering, your personality, your buyers Hopkins is the chairman of Tom Hopkins
and market conditions. International. He can be contacted at
Third, wait for positive stimulus from your 866.347.6148, or by e-mail at
customers. If you believe they’ve found Some clients will see a new feature such as thopkins@autosuccessonline.com.
22 www.sellingsuccessonline.com

24. sts fos ls ms sf fis
BrianTracy
sales and training solution
Continuous Learning
Throughout the period of retirement which would be paid for Senge, who wrote The Fifth Dimension,
developed world, we by Social Security, savings and pensions. says that only learning organizations, those
have moved from an organizations that are capable of taking in new
era of manpower to an Today, with workforce requirements changing information, adapting it and using it faster
era of mind power. We so rapidly, you must continually be asking than their competitors, will survive in the fast-
have moved from the yourself, “What is my next job going to be?” changing, competitive world of tomorrow.
use of physical muscles to the use of mental You must also be asking yourself, on a regular
muscles. Today, the chief sources of value basis, “What is my next career going to be?” The more you know, the better you will be
in our society are knowledge and the ability at solving problems and getting results for
to apply that knowledge in a timely fashion. Imagine for a moment that your entire which people will pay you. The more you
In the information age, knowledge is king, company or industry vanished overnight and know, the more freedom and opportunity you
and those people who develop the ability to you had to start all over again in an entirely have. The more you learn and the faster you
acquire new and better forms of knowledge new business doing an entirely different learn it, the more rapidly you move upward
that they can apply to their work and to their job. What would it be? And don’t think this and onward in your career and in every other
lives will be the movers and shakers in our question is speculative or that it applies to area of your life.
society for the indefinite future. someone else. It is a question that you will
probably have to deal with, perhaps far sooner Between where you are and where you want
When you learn and practice the techniques than you expect. In thinking about your new to go, there is almost always a gap, and in
for rapid learning, when you join the learning job and your new career, here is the most almost every case you will find that you can
revolution, you will learn how to unlock the important question of all: “What do I have to bridge this gap with knowledge and skills. In
incredible powers of your mind. You will be absolutely, positively excellent at doing, in order to get from where you are to your goals,
learn how to become smarter and faster than order to earn an excellent living in my new you have to learn and practice something new
ever before. You will learn how to become a job and my new career?” and different. You have to learn new skills and
master of your fate, rather than a victim of abilities. You have to learn new attitudes and
circumstances. You will learn how to take The solution to almost every problem in methods. You have to learn new techniques
complete control of your present and future the world of work is to learn and practice and practices. If you want to be a better parent,
destiny so that you can accomplish and something new and different. When you learn you must learn and practice better parenting
achieve anything you want in life. how to use the incredible power of your brain skills. If you want to be a better spouse, you
to absorb and apply new ideas and information, must study and practice relationship skills. If
Knowledge is doubling every two to three you will be able to lead the field and rise to the you want to earn more money, you have to
years in almost every occupation and top of any profession or occupation. determine what it is that people will pay more
profession, including yours. This means that money for, and then get busy learning and
your knowledge must double every two to three Here’s another question for you: What is practicing those behaviors.
years for you to just stay even. People who are your most valuable asset? In terms of cash
not aggressively and continuously upgrading flow, what is the most valuable thing you Specific knowledge and specific skills will
their knowledge and skills are not staying have? Well, unless you are very rich, or have become obsolete with the passing of time,
in the same place; they are falling behind. a family trust account, your most valuable but learning how to learn is a permanent skill
You see this demonstrated all over the place asset is your “earning ability.” It is your that you can use all the days of your life. The
with massive lay-offs, declining wages and ability to apply your knowledge and skill in a people who join the learning revolution, and
growing insecurity in the workforce. You see timely fashion to get results for which others who learn how to learn faster, like those people
it in the increasing bewilderment and despair will pay. who first learned how to operate computers,
on the part of people who are being displaced or learned how to become excellent in their
from low-skill jobs which have either moved All your education, knowledge, experience, fields, will be able to earn more in one or two
overseas or disappeared altogether. We are reading, training and work have contributed years of work than the average person earns in
in the midst of a societal revolution where toward building up your earning ability. perhaps five or 10 years.
unionized industrial workers are becoming According to the research, the so-called
“rich” are almost invariably people who By joining the learning revolution, you will
a smaller and smaller percentage of our
started from common beginnings, often with enhance every area of your life. You will be
workforce each year.
great disadvantages, and then overcame those able to help your spouse and your children
As recently as the 1950s and 60s, it was circumstances by investing an enormous unlock and realize more of their individual
common to believe that you finished your amount of time and effort on developing their potentials. You will be a better friend in
schooling, got a job with a large company and earning ability. And you can do the same helping your friends use more of their
stayed with that company for the rest of your thing, starting today, or at any time. abilities. And you will be a better manager,
life. This was based on the old paradigm of developing the skills that will enable you to
learning. In this old paradigm, life was divided Management consultant Peter Drucker get far more out of yourself and other people
into three parts. First were your “learning” says that the truly educated person today than ever before.
years, during which you got your education, is a person who has learned how to learn
however extensive or limited. Then came your continuously throughout life. Tom Peters says Brian Tracy is the chairman and CEO
“earning” years. This was the period of time that continuous learning may be the only real of Brian Tracy International. He can be
during which you worked for a living. After source of sustainable competitive advantage contacted at 866.300.9881, or by e-mail at
that came your “yearning” years. This was the for individuals and corporations. And Peter btracy@autosuccessonline.com.
24 www.sellingsuccessonline.com