AdAgencyOnline.Net

AdAgencyOnline.Net is a networking / resource portal where automotive advertising agencies are able to review cutting edge automotive advertising vendors and their applications.  Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of the blog talk radio station WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time featured on AdAgencyOnline.Net, reviewed CarFolks.Com in an interview with  Mark Dubis.  The interview was conducted on the Auto Industry Insiders blog talk radio show that aired on Thursday, November 18th. , 2011 between 12:00 Noon EST and 12:30 PM EST.  Philip Zelinger announced that an encore presentation of the show is scheduled to replace the Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising show on Monday, November 22nd., 2010 during the same mid-day time slot. 

Philip explained his reason for the unusual repeat airing of the CarFolks.Com updated review. “CarFolks.Com was one of the first preferred automotive advertising vendors to be featured on AdAgencyOnline.Net and I was surprised to discover some of the new applications that have been added to their already comprehensive reputation management platform.  Social media has matured as the media of choice for consumers anxious to gather information about not only the vehicles that they want to purchase but the auto dealership they want to do business with.  Mark explained that they have included several integrated solutions to CarFolks.Com that allow the auto dealer to promote comments about them on this consumer centric site to their own websites and other social media including Facebook and Twitter.  The market is a conversation between consumers that exists before, during and after their shopping/buying cycle.  CarFolks.Com has come up with a consumer focused platform that allows auto dealers to participate in the dialogue from the inside out vs. from the outside in with their customers providing the content.  After all, what are friends — and now Carfolks.Com — for!”

About Mark Dubis

Mark R. Dubis has over 26 years in the automotive and transportation fields. He has worked in executive, management, and sales roles, developing marketing and e-Commerce strategies, web development projects, and other business development strategies.  He was the first full time editor of Digital Dealer magazine and continues to write for industry publications.

About CarFolks.Com

CarFolks.Com is a free, reputation management resource for automotive sales and service professionals to help build, protect and enhance their online reputation. They highlight neighbor approved dealers as an online marketing platform for dealers to help them offer the public an accurate picture of how they and their teams take care of their customers. They now integrate with Facebook, Twitter and the dealers own website. Read the rest of this entry »

AdAgencyOnline.Net, an automotive advertising resource / networking portal supported by a national network of independent automotive advertising agencies, will be reviewing TK Carsites on their blog talk radio station WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time.  Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of WAAOL, will be interviewing the President and founder of TK Carsites, James A. Bradford, on his Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising show today, Tuesday November 09th, 2010 between 12:00 Noon EST and 12:30 PM EST.

The pair of automotive advertising experts share a common vision for the retail auto industry which has shifted its focus from brick and mortar dealerships to the new virtual showrooms being built on the Internet Super Highway.  Philip summarized his reason for inviting James to review TK Carsites for consideration as a preferred automotive advertising vendor on AdAgencyOnline.Net. “The consolidation of the auto industry with the resulting reduced sales volume and profit margins has forced automotive advertising agencies to deliver more for less for their auto dealer clients and the Internet has provided the perfect solution.  Consumers have learned to place the glass wall of their computer between them and the auto dealership who used to control the information that they needed to shop for a new or pre-owned vehicle.  The Internet Super Highway has many lanes for the online shopper to bypass the auto dealer and automotive advertising agencies are challenged to deliver their dealer’s message without diverting traffic away from them.”

“Website developers like TK Carsites have adapted to consumer demands by providing them the information that they need in a relevant and transparent manner while still crediting the auto dealership as the source.  Integrating social media into a dealer’s website is just one example of how TK Carsites differentiates itself from other website developers.  The market is a conversation between customers before, during and after their buying decision and TK Carsites recognizes their need to allow their dealer clients to join the conversation from the inside out as a friend vs. from the outside in as a car dealer with a self serving agenda.  I am looking forward to listening and learning from James during our on air interview so I can share some of the best practices that he builds into his TK CarSites with our affiliated automotive advertising agencies and our growing following of automotive advertising decision makers and auto dealers that follow our blog talk radio shows and support AdAgencyOnline.Net with our shared philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats.  After all, what are friends and AdAgencyOnline.Net for!”  

About James Bradford

James A. Bradford is the President and founder of TK Carsites responsible for the overall sales performance of the company, strategic planning and large accounts. He has spent the last 10 years guiding TK Carsites to national recognition as an award-winning automotive Internet marketing provider, specializing in website technology, SEO and social media.

James has over 15 years of experience as an investment strategist and an entrepreneur. Prior to TK Carsites, James served as Vice President of Sales at the Manufacturers Asset Group, where he was responsible for managing a team of 25 Investment brokers before earning his own franchised office. James was also Regional Sales Manager at John James Investment Group, where he was consistently a top producer for the company. In 1994, 1995, and 1996, James was awarded “Top Sales Broker of the Year” as a Commodities Broker with the Hampton Group.

James presently resides in Huntington Beach with his wife Cynthia and their four children: Caylee, Brionni, little Joey and baby Gianna. Jim takes great joy in being home with his family, just being part of the day-to-day chaos that comes with raising three girls (help me, Lord) and a little boy!

About TK CarSites

TK Carsites is an online marketing company specializing in website design, automotive Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media for auto dealers in the U.S. and Canada.

With their Power Suite of products, TK Carsites uses the Internet to boost car dealerships’ sales by driving thousands of visitors to their websites, then converting them to high-quality leads through tools like search-optimized video and inventory pages. They also use their social media expertise to help dealers engage effectively with their local communities.TK Carsites has won the prestigious Auto Dealer Monthly’s Dealer’s Choice awards 6 years in a row, in addition to receiving two awards in 2009 from the Automotive Search Marketing Association (ASMA), and two awards for search marketing in 2010 from the AWA (Automotive Website Awards). Visit TK Carsites’ communities on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

For more information, call (800) 899-7791, or visit www.tkcarsites.com.

About Philip Zelinger

Philip Zelinger is the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of a nationally respected automotive advertising social networking portal, AdAgencyOnline.Net.  Philip invested 25 years as a General Manager and Dealer Principal followed by his last ten years in the automotive advertising industry representing auto dealers and technology vendors focused on the automotive advertising industry.

His role as a “Dealer Coach” is enhanced by his hosting a nationally recognized blog talk radio station – WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time.  As the author of two books on the auto industry, including “How To Sell A Car – a Career Guide to The Automobile Industry,” he is a recognized authority on market trends and developing technologies with the responsibility of selecting key vendors and applications for his dealer clients as well as forming strategic partnerships for his vendor clients to leverage their shared resources to help them bring their products and services to market.

About AdAgencyOnline.Net and Ad Agency Online, L.L.C.

AdAgencyOnline.Net reviews automotive advertising vendors and new technologies on several blog talk radio shows including Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising, Auto Industry Insiders and  their most listened to program Automotive Advertising Experts.  The shows attract automotive advertising agencies, auto dealers, auto industry vendors and O.E.M. representatives that listen to the blog talk radio station WAAOL to find vendors, applications and technologies to maximize the R.O.I. for their automotive advertising dollars.

AAOL is a national network of independent affiliated automotive advertising agencies linked by an online communication / distribution system developed by Philip Zelinger.  The proprietary operating system that powers AAOL was designed to reduce fixed and semi-variable expenses for full service automotive advertising agencies.  The developing technologies that enhanced the performance of the independent automotive advertising agencies linked by AAOL has served as the role model for the solutions suggested on AdAgencyOnline.Net and represented by AAOL to their affiliated automotive advertising agencies when serving their auto dealer clients.

Ad Agency Online L.L.C is focused on discovering and representing new automotive advertising vendors not yet recognized by the mainstream automotive advertising industry. Automotive advertising vendors represented by AAOL include; ronsmap.com, DealerMouth, TeleTextSolutions, GetAutoAppraise, Argistics – AutoTransaXion, DealMaker.Com, CityTwist.Com, Bulldog Marketing Technologies, Kihon Media, CarFolks.Com, Ai Dealer, Laser Stream Video, SiSTeR Technologies – Video CarLot and IntellaCar; to name a few.

For more information on Philip Zelinger, Ad Agency Online, L.L.C., TK CarSites or any of the vendor clients represented by Ad Agency Online contact Philip at 888-796-2228 or email him at pzads@bellsouth.net.  Automotive advertising vendors, automotive advertising agencies and auto dealers that would like to be considered as a “preferred automotive advertising vendor” on AdAgencyOnline.Net and/or to hire/join Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. to represent them can contact Philip Zelinger at http://adagencyonline.net.  To quote Philip Zelinger, “Help is only a click away!  After all, what are friends for!” ###

Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and the host of the automotive advertising resource / networking portal http://AdAgencyOnline.Net, will be reviewing WomenCertified® on the portal’s blog talk radio station — WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time.  Philip will be interviewing the President/C.E.O. of WomenCertified®, Delia Passi, on his Automotive Advertising Experts blog talk radio show scheduled to air on Friday, November 12th., 2010 from 12:00 Noon EST to 12:30 PM EST.      

Philip supported claims by WomenCertified® that women hold the keys to the modern marketplace, purchasing over 83% of all consumer products and services. With competition ever increasing, consumers’ demands for quality products and services continue to rise, leaving businesses anxious to create a competitive edge by differentiating themselves.

Automotive advertising agencies are capitalizing on the fact that consumers trust The WomenCertified Seal of Approval, indicating that their auto dealer clients are committed to (and held to) a higher quality of overall service that exceeds expectations – both of women and of men (who may be easier to satisfy – but are often less loyal!) With the WomenCertified Seal, auto dealers have a unique opportunity to gain her attention and her trust before she even walks through their door

About Delia Passi

Delia Passi is CEO of Medelia, Inc. and Founder of WomenCertified®.  As the nation’s leading consumer advocate for women, Delia Passi empowers women worldwide to be savvier, more informed and more confident consumers.  As the Founder of WomenCertified® Delia’s message is based on years of experience and thousands of conversations with women shoppers.  She is the leading authority on selling to women.  Her expertise is in how women shop and buy, what motivates them to select one provider over another, and how sales and service professionals can provide the best experience to women.  Delia is a prominent consumer advocate and consultant to major corporations.  She is also the former Group Publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines.

About WomenCertified® 

Delia provided the following information on WomenCertified® in advance of her interview with Philip Zelinger to share with his affiliated automotive advertising agencies:

9 out of 10 women trust a company more if they earned the WomenCertified Seal, signifying that they met higher standards of customer service.  WomenCertified boosts customer satisfaction and retention by maximizing what she cares about the most – the customer experience.

The Process:  Earn the WomenCertified Seal of Approval by completing our live training program (or interactive online program), packed with ground-breaking sales closing skills and gender communication knowledge for tapping into the mindset of women decision makers. 

The Result:  Increased sales in your internet department, greater customer loyalty and a steady stream of new referrals thanks to exceptional customer experience you’ll be specially equipped to provide. Plus, the WomenCertified Seal creates an instant bond of trust among women.

What will you learn?

  • Understanding the avoidance factor

  • Making and maintaining a great first impression

  • Decoding her language to hear what she’s really saying

  • Mastering each phase of the 7 Step Sales Process

  • Maximizing customer loyalty and turning on the referral machine

  • Providing the customer experience she expects and deserves

WomenCertified’s Ongoing Member Benefits

WomenCertified is more than a training program, going beyond the classroom and providing a host of reinforcement resources, marketing tools, competitive differentiation & more, including:

  • Listing in the WomenCertified Locator, the online directory where

     women search for companies they can trust for better service

  • Completion certificates and WomenCertified lapel pins

  • Monthly training tools and tips delivered to your e-mail

  • Turnkey marketing tools and PR templates

  • Customized training and reinforcement materials

Compound Your Efforts

Like interest on your money, efforts also compound over time. Our reinforcement tools are designed to help you compound your efforts into exponential sales growth. Any actions, repeated over an extended period of time (typically 90 days or more) become habit forming. By applying our award winning WomenCertified training with a repetitive WomenFriendly™ message, then adding the ongoing reinforcement tips and tools on top, you have a recipe for success!

The WomenCertified Seal is your differentiator in a cluttered marketplace, where women are seeking better buying experiences from sales and service providers they can trust. That is why we’ve created a series of reinforcement resources to help businesses and professionals maintain the WomenCertified standard of excellence.

WomenCertified Reinforcement Tool

• Monthly e-Newsletter: Arrives in your e-mail every month, delivering tips, tools, strategies & important reminders to update your selling to women skills and knowledge.
• Bi-monthly Booster Shots: Teleconferences for a quick pick-me-up
• Power Selling and Business Building tools: Host of videos, audio clips, interviews and articles on womencertified.com to help you dig deeper in the WomenCertified principles.
• Unlimited Access to the Online Training: for convenient refreshment.
• Recruiting & Retaining Women & Diverse Candidates Training Program: enables you to equip your management and recruitment officers with the insight and tools needed to accelerate recruitment among women and implement successful retention programs.
• Customer Feedback Tools: Customer Satisfaction Surveys to monitor customer satisfaction and feedback at the store level; Mystery Shoppers to visit your store reporting their experiences and place customer service calls to your call centers and service desks.
• WomenCertified Coaching: is a one-on-one coaching with a WomenCertified Expert Trainer, who will work with individual sales and service professionals to perfect their pitch and build their selling skills and confidence.
• Additional Reinforcement Tools: (cost items) include books, wallet cards & laminated tips sheet, audio CD’s and One-on-One Coaching. Read the rest of this entry »

Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and the host of the automotive advertising resource / networking portal AdAgencyOnline.Net, will be reviewing Advanta-STAR for his affiliated automotive advertising agencies during an interview with the President of Advanta-STAR, Withan Lemmon, on the blog talk radio station WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time featured on AdAgencyOnline.Net.  The interview is scheduled for The Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising show that is airing on Monday, November 01st, 2010 from 12:00 Noon EST to 12:30 PM EST.

Philip explained his reason for reviewing Advanta-STAR for consideration as a preferred automotive advertising vendor.  “My self delegated role in Ad Agency Online is to find and review cutting edge automotive advertising vendors and applications for consideration by our affiliated automotive advertising agencies to benefit their auto dealer clients.  I discovered Advanta-STAR at The 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition and I instantly recognized the value of their competitive comparisons for my clients.   There is a trend by independent vendors to link complimentary  applications into more comprehensive platform solutions and/or to share proprietary technologies or data and Advanta-STAR may prove to be a perfect marriage for some of our dealer/vendor clients that is worth considering.”

About Withan Lemmon 

Withan is described on Advanta-STAR as a “Self-made, self-educated automotive expert, computer programmer and marketing guru.  He is the founder of the only feature-benefit comparison company in the world. Primary creator of the most advanced computerized automotive expert system ever.”

Withan also produced and co-hosted an automotive consumer call-in radio show in the Metro New Orleans Market that aired on Saturdays from 12 – 1 PM.  He was a successful sales representative at Bergeron Chrysler-Plymouth after serving as the Trainer/Inventory Manager at Ray Brandt Dodge. 

Withan was also a walk-around regional winner for Chrysler multiple times.  He served as a consultant to Chrysler in the 1990’s which provided him the experience and insights needed to develop Advanta-STAR and earned him his current position as a national walk-around judge for a publicly traded automotive retail chain.

About Advanta-STAR

Advanta-STAR has been in business under the same management continually for nineteen years and has an excellent reputation with all of its customers. They collect every type of specification, test and statistic on all new cars and light trucks. They use this collection to carefully review all the advantages of every vehicle, documented, with hard data and third-party tests. This material is prepared on a complete cross section of the competition: over 30 competitors on most vehicles. 

Every area of customer concern is covered, including:

• Safety (6 types of crash tests, safety features, statistics)
• Warranty
• Reliability (Features, J.D. power and Consumer Reports statistics)
• Engine (horsepower, torque, acceleration data)
• Transmission (number of gears, gear control)
• Drive Train
• Brakes and Stopping (Stopping distances, brake specifications, features)
• Tires and Wheels
• Suspension and Handling (Specifications, features and magazine handling tests in grip, slalom and emergency lane change)
• Chassis
• Passenger Space
• Cargo Space
• Towing
• Payload
• Servicing Ease
• Ergonomics (Features, design)
• Model Availability
• Economic Advantages (Insurance costs, resale value, maintenance costs, repair costs)
• Recommendations (Awards, comparison rankings in magazine tests, recommendations, sales figures)

Advanta-STAR is an independent research company that uses third-party sources for test data that provides an exhaustive survey of thousands of features, specifications, test results and statistics.  Advanta-STAR presents a dealer’s advantages objectively, never becoming inflammatory and it helps keep an interested prospect in the dealership longer without coercion or deceit.

Benefits

Advanta-star Consumer Research provides salespeople with a new source of product knowledge that keeps them informed about the competition. It will help to convince customers they are making the right choice, increasing closing ratios and SSI. It builds value in the product, improving gross profit for the dealership and customer satisfaction in their purchase.

It will make dealerships more profitable, helping them to invest in areas that retain professional salespeople and enhance customer satisfaction. It promotes pride in the dealership’s products for the entire staff.  Advanta-STAR can be used to enhance your dealership advertising, driving advertising with product more than price.

References

Southeast Toyota Distributors has continuously used Advanta-STAR Consumer Research in their dealerships since 1997. Many of the dealership standards in SET dealerships are based upon Advanta-STAR and its use.

Subaru of America, Inc. has utilized Advanta-STAR for its training and advertising.

The GMMDA lists Advanta-STAR as a preferred vendor. Read the rest of this entry »

Automotive advertising agencies are flocking to The 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition to learn about new automotive advertising technologies and applications that will help their auto dealer clients sell more vehicles and service with less staff, inventory and money to advertise.  AdAgencyonline.Net is an automotive advertising resource / networking portal that reviews new technologies and vendor solutions on the Internet.  However, the opportunity to meet the visionaries behind the new technologies driving the automotive advertising industry in the real world is a critical part of the process.  Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of AdAgencyOnline.Net, will be unveiling his latest discovery at the conference, a mobile sales presentation / training platform — IntellaCar — being introduced by his newest vendor client Hughes Hunter.  

Philip described IntellaCar as “The next generation of mobile technology being applied to real world selling processes and sales training.  Their game changing mobile sales presentation / training platform delivers relevant information to a sales consultant wherever and whenever they need it that is always current, always correct and always relevant.  The proprietary information is delivered through an iPhone, iTouch or iPad controlled by the sales consultant in a form and manner that is not available on or through any other venue in the real or the virtual world — including the showroom brochures or even the auto dealers, O.E.M.s or third party websites.  New vehicle information and competitive comparisons include features and benefits that are prioritized to fit the customer’s individual profile delivered in a flexible presentation  designed to sell more vehicles at a higher gross profit.  The ability to empower a sales consultant to stay one step ahead of today’s educated customer as well as the competition is a required tool for a professional salesperson who must command instant credibility with his customer’s to earn their trust and their business — in that order.”

The 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition is being held at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas October 12th – 14th, 2010.  It features vendor exhibits from nationally recognized providers of products and services to automotive advertising agencies and the auto industry that they serve, along with sessions on a variety of issues that face auto dealers in today’s challenging economy.  Philip Zelinger will be hosting a session at the conference on social media on Wednesday,  October 13th. at 2:30 PM in Room #217 titled — C2C + B2B = B2C SQUARED; Learn How This New Social Media Formula Provides New Revenues, New Efficiencies and Greater Profits. 

In addition to hosting his session, Philip will be walking the vendor exhibit hall to maintain existing relationships while looking for a few new ones.  A number of vendor clients of Ad Agency Online and members of AdAgencyOnline.Net sponsor events at the conference, host sessions and/or set up exhibits to display their products and services.  This year Philip will be introducing Jim Hughes and Bruce Polkes to his affiliated automotive advertising agencies and fellow vendor/dealer clients while allowing them to experience the conference themselves.  Philip anticipates that they will be ready to exhibit IntellaCar at the 10th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition that is already on the drawing board.

Philip’s plans for the conference may serve as a road map for those who want to follow his lead to maximize their own R.O.I. from the event.  Philip provided the following recap of his agenda to share with his affiliated automotive advertising agencies during his most recent blog talk radio show, Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising.

“I have been invited to host sessions at the last eight Digital Dealer Conferences and I am excited to have been invited to the 9th. one; and counting!  Ad Agency Online and many of our vendor clients as well as supporters of AdAgencyOnline.Net have set up exhibits in past conferences with great success and a verifiable R.O.I. but this one promises to be the best of the best.  I recently interviewed Susan G. Tyson, the Marketing Director for the conference, on our blog talk radio show Automotive Advertising Experts and she convinced me that the sessions, exhibitors and special events planned in Las Vegas will support our decision to be there.”

“My plans start on Monday evening, October 11th. from 6PM to 8PM at the Japonais Lounge in the lobby of The Mirage Hotel where I will be co-hosting a Pre-Conference Networking Party with Hughes Hunter to start building the buzz around their new mobile sales presentation / training platform appropriately titled Intellacar.  Jim Hughes and Bruce Polkes, co-founders of Hughes Hunter and the visionaries behind Intellacar, will be joining me to share their plans to introduce their game changing solution to empower the sales consultant to stay one step ahead of today’s educated consumers as well as the competition.  They deliver the right information at the right time and in the right place; always current, always correct and always relevant.”

“My day starts early on Tuesday, October 12th. with Brian Pasch, CEO of PCG Digital Marketing, while attending his PCG Automotive Website Awards (AWA) that are scheduled at 8:00 AM to kick off the daily events at the conference.  The 2010 Awards Program will add coveted industry awards in a total of three categories: Search, Design, and Technology.” 

“Brian explained that the new award categories are a result of the industry response to the popular Automotive Search Marketing Awards (ASMA) which will continue under the AWA “search” category. The ASMA awards are the standard bearer for recognizing website platforms that excel in organic search.” 

“In the Automotive Website Design category, awards will be given for three classifications of automotive website platforms: dealership websites, manufacturer websites, and third party automotive advertising websites.” 

“In the Automotive Website Technology category website platforms will be evaluated on innovative core technology that stands above their peers. I entered my vendor client ronsmap in this category.  Next year I hope to enter IntellaCar and in my humble opinion they have a shot at winning … so wish us luck!  In the past year the automotive industry has witnessed numerous technological advancements in car dealer websites. Mobile integration, geo-targeted marketing, chat, CRM, and advances in search advertising and all will be considered.” 

“After the AWA I will be hosting a Peer Networking Roundtable at 10:00 AM in room C1 which promises to be a highlight of the conference.  I have registered to conduct the session at the table for Internet Sales Managers / e-Commerce Directors over multiple stores or for e-Commerce Directors of large, multi-point dealer groups.  Experience has taught me that I will be able to
listen and learn from these groups as much as I may presume to teach them and I am looking forward to the experience and shared best practices that will be surfaced in our discussions.”

“I will be visiting many sessions during the day on Tuesday and Wednesday but frankly my real objective is to meet the vendors exhibiting at the conference to renew established relationships and start a few new ones.  I will be walking the isles check book in hand with the expectation that I will bring back some new opportunities for my affiliated automotive advertising agencies to help them better serve their auto dealer clients.  Of course I also have scheduled meetings with some potential new vendor clients for Ad Agency Online so I anticipate some very productive days during the conference for me and mine.”

“Tuesday evening will be taken up by several parties that often represent the most fertile ground for developing new opportunities.  In my opinion, the must attend parties of the night include Ralph Paglia’s ADM party from 8PM to 11PM that he is hosting at his suite followed by one that I am co-hosting with a vendor client, SiSTeR Technologies Video CarLot.  Their party is called The Johnnie Walker Blue Thank You Party also planned in their suite at The Mirage as a V.I.P. party to follow Ralph’s.  The suite numbers won’t be available until we check in on Monday, but suffice it to say that it will be easy to follow the buzz that surrounds them to join in on the fun.”

“Wednesday will be dominated by meetings and filled in by my session on social media scheduled for 2:30 PM in room #217.  I have been told by friends that my title — C2C + B2B = B2C SQUARED — may sound like new math to some attendees but I am confident that the auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies that attend the conference will get it.  The market is a conversation that begins before, during and after a customer makes a buying and/or servicing decision and automotive advertising agencies know that their auto dealer clients must be in it.” 

“In today’s consumer driven world, customer to customer opinions shared by likeminded consumers seeking advice from their online friends coupled with similar online opinions shared in automotive advertising and auto industry facing social networking communities develop an online identity and reputation for auto dealers that virally extends their marketing messages to their customers.  As a result, customer to customer conversations plus business to business networking equals business to customer marketing messages squared.  It’s not as complicated as it sounds once you understand human nature and the customers’ desire to do business with people that they like.  After all, what are friends — and social media — for!”

” My Wednesday evening will be capped off with a party being hosted by Brian Benstock described as a private reception for industry leaders.  I received my invitation from Sean Wolfington, a valued friend and an icon in the auto industry technology sector.  Sean is the C.E.O. of The Wolfington Companies.  The Wolfington Companies own eight technology and marketing companies in the automotive industry. These companies include Level 5 Advertising, Tier 10 Marketing, Vin Solutions, the Automotive Advertising Network, Team Velocity, Car-mercial, Call Revu, and the American Dream Network.”

“Sean founded some of the most successful marketing and consulting companies in the automotive industry – Automark and Cyber Car (sold to Reynolds and Reynolds in 2001) and BZ Results (sold to ADP in 2006). BZ Results was recognized as the “Innovative Company of the Year” for pioneering digital marketing in the automotive industry and enabling billions of dollars of retail sales over the Internet.”

“I only reference Sean’s remarkable career and accomplishments to date so that I can explain the exclusive nature of the reception for industry leaders and to justify my apologies to my affiliates since I can’t invite them to join me.  Of course I can tell them where the party is but the armed guards and private security may be too much of a challenge for them to overcome, although based on the guest list it might be worth a shot; just kidding Sean!”

About the 9^th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition:

The 9^th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition, October 12 – 14 at the Mirage in Las Vegas: New Ideas, New Revenues, New Efficiencies, Greater Profits. More than 600 dealership attendees are expected. www.DigitalDealerConference.com

The sessions for the 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition  will feature speaking sessions, roundtables and a vendor exposition for dealership managers and directors who are interested in learning more about successfully doing business on the Internet.  The speaking roster include leading industry trainers, consultants and thought leaders covering topics that are of crucial interest to today’s successful automobile dealership managers.  

The 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition is the ideal learning and networking venue for general managers, dealer principals, internet sales managers, e-commerce directors, BDC managers, CRM managers, pre-owned managers, F&I managers and fixed operations managers. More than 550 dealership attendees are expected at the fall event along with as many as 90 exhibitors and sponsors. 

For more information about the 9th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition, go to www.digitaldealerconference.com or contact Susan Tyson at styson@dealer-communications.com, 312 558-1799.

The conference is owned and operated by Dealer Communications, the leading multi-media information source for the automotive retail industry. Connecting with franchised automotive dealers and managers over ten million times per year, Dealer Communications publishes the monthly print Dealer magazine, and online editions of Dealer, Digital Dealer and Dealer Fixed Operations magazines. Online weekly newsletters include Dealer; Digital Dealer; Dealer Fixed Operations, Dealer Pre-Owned; Dealer F&I, and Dealer Sales and Marketing. To see all that Dealer Communications offers, visit www.dealer-communications.com. Read the rest of this entry »