AdAgencyOnline.Net

Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and the host of an automotive advertising resource / networking portal — AdAgencyOnline.Net, will be speaking to an audience of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers at the 6th Annual Chrysler Southeast & Southwest Business Center Service & Parts Business Conference.  The conference is being held at the Disney Resorts Contemporary Hotel in Orlando Florida from September 22nd – 24th, 2010.

The session being presented by Philip is titled Social Media And Fixed Operations; What Was – Is And Will Be.  The importance of fixed operations to generate profits to compensate for reduced new and pre-owned vehicle sales has become self evident as dealers struggle to cover expenses in a consolidating auto industry.  The focus of Philip’s session will be to advise auto dealers how to increase their absorption rate from fixed operations — the percentage of total dealership expenses that are covered by profits generated from service and parts — using social media to leverage their automotive advertising dollars. 

Automotive advertising agencies have learned to integrate service and parts messages in their conventional and digital marketing plans. However, according to Philip Zelinger, “The cost of using social media as an automotive advertising channel must consider the labor associated with the effort.  New automotive advertising applications have been introduced to the market that leverage the resources of auto dealers by increasing the efficiencies of their staff combined with the viral nature of pushing their messages through various social networking communities. People are still part of the process, however, technology has improved the R.O.I. for every automotive advertising dollar at a time when reduced automotive advertising budgets demand it.”

In addition to Philip hosting a session on social media his automotive advertising agency — Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. — will be displaying their products and services in a special section set aside for the attending auto dealers to learn about some of the new technologies and applications being developed to promote service and parts using social media and other internet based digital marketing methods.  The Chrysler Business Center explained the value for vendors planning to exhibit at the conference in material that they posted on their website promoting the event. “The Southeast and Southwest Business Conference Expo continues to grow every year. Many of our attendees have said the best part of the Conference is the Vendor Expo “It’s like shopping at a Dealership Candy Store, every product or service imaginable is there”. Our Dealers have challenges ahead growing their business and it won’t be possible without your Products and Services. We are planning to have over 300 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Dealerships in attendance from 12 States.” Read the rest of this entry »

Automotive advertising agencies frustrated by reduced sales volume and profit margins have been forced to focus on fixed operations vs. vehicle sales to earn their fees.  Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and the host AdAgencyOnline.Net, has advised his national network of independent automotive advertising agencies to help their auto dealer clients improve their absorption rate from fixed operations if they expect to survive in today’s struggling economy and consolidating auto industry. 

An auto dealer’s absorption rate reflects the percentage of dealership expenses that are paid from profits earned in parts and service.  According to Philip Zelinger, “As expenses rise and sales decline the need to maintain an absorption rate in excess of 85% to 90% has become a necessity vs. a goal.  Automotive advertising agencies who limit their marketing messages to sell cars will soon be looking for work as their auto dealer clients are forced to close their doors.”

Automotive advertising decision makers will be given some practical steps to help their auto dealer clients sell service and parts on the blog talk radio station — WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time – that is featured on AdAgencyOnline.Net.  The Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising blog talk radio show scheduled for this Wednesday, September 01st, 2010 will be dedicated to improving profits from fixed operations.  Several automotive advertising vendor solutions focused on integrating selling processes between new and pre-owned vehicles sales and fixed operations will be reviewed by Philip as he shares best practices with his online audience.

Philip will also be discussing his plans to host a session at the 6th Annual Chrysler Southeast & Southwest BC S&P Business Conference that is being held at the Walt Disney World Contemporary Resort September 22nd – 24th, 2010.  The SEBC – SWBC service and parts business conference anticipates an audience of over 300 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Dealerships from 12 states.  Attendance by vendors, auto dealer senior managers and guest speakers like Philip Zelinger promise to make this year’s conference the most productive ever for auto dealers anxious to increase their R.O.I. from their service and parts departments.

Philip will be hosting a session titled Social Media And Fixed Operations; What Was – Is And Will Be.  According to Philip, “My session is designed to reassure service and parts managers that they are not alone.  Automotive advertising agencies have always integrated service and parts messages into their automotive advertising campaigns.  However, the goal of previous advertising was to sell vehicles with service taking a supporting role.  The importance of fixed operations and their responsibility to carry the water for the dealership with increased absorption rates has forced automotive advertising agencies to rethink their priorities.  Conventional wisdom confirms that service sells cars but that message has taken on a new meaning when applied to the increased role of the Internet and social media.  The market is a conversation that exists before, during and most importantly after the sale.  The dialogue is more often focused on the servicing of the vehicle than the initial sales transaction.  I plan on sharing best practices in the use of social networking communities like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and similar online networks of friends to make sure that the attending Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Dealers learn how to join in on the conversation from the inside out vs. from the outside in.  In addition to teaching the dealers how to participate in social networking communities without alienating their new online friends, I will be introducing several cutting edge technologies and automotive advertising applications that provide efficiencies to leverage the limited resources in staff and budget of today’s profit challenged auto dealers to take advantage of the viral nature of social media.” Read the rest of this entry »

Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of the automotive advertising resource / networking portal AdAgencyOnline.Net, announced today that he will be reviewing eCarList and their new mobile appraisal and inventory management application TrueMarket Mobile for consideration by his affiliated automotive advertising agencies.  Philip will be interviewing Len Critcher, the CEO of eCarList, on the blog talk radio station featured on AdAgencyOnline.net — WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time.  The Automotive Advertising Experts show hosting the interview is scheduled to air on Friday, September 03rd, 2010 from 12:00 Noon to 12:30 PM EST. 

The pair of automotive advertising insiders will be sharing best practices with automotive advertising agencies who regularly tune into WAAOL to listen and learn about new technologies and Internet driven applications that promise to change the way that auto dealers buy and sell cars.  Philip limits his product reviews to cutting edge vendors with proprietary applications and he confirmed that eCarList qualifies on many levels.  “I reviewed eCarList once before during a previous interview with Len Critcher and I knew then and there that I would have to keep in touch with him.  I was so impressed with his inventory management and marketing platform that I recommended him to one of my valued vendor clients, SiSTeR Technologies, Inc..  Based on the successful results of that introduction I am always looking for other shared opportunities with eCarList so when Len offered me a sneak preview of his new mobile appraisal and inventory management platform I jumped at the chance.  I want to take credit for introducing it to my affiliated automotive advertising agencies and my growing audience of automotive advertising decision makers who turn to me to find the latest and the greatest in technology driven automotive advertising solutions.  I am confident that the TrueMarket Mobile suite of products and services being introduced by eCarList will not disappoint them.”

About Len Critcher

With a successful background in marketing and technology, Len Critcher established one of the first Internet focused dealerships in the United States in 2001.  As a pioneer in online automotive sales, Critcher is often heralded as one of the “fathers” of online automotive marketing.  At age 28, Critcher was profiled in Forbes Magazine for his success in online automotive retailing.  Recognized as an authority in online inventory management and marketing, Critcher is often invited to speak to large groups and industry events to share his unique passion and insights into his “real world” automotive successes. In 2006, Critcher founded eCarList and has led the organization in its record growth and is also the chief architect of the company’s product development.  Critcher and his businesses have also been featured in People, Time Magazine, USA Today, CNN, American Way, Dallas Business Journal and more.

Critcher received a BA from Southern Methodist University and resides in Dallas, TX with his wife Pamela, and two young children, Carson and Sailor.

About TrueMarket Mobile

TrueMarket Mobile is the first and only mobile appraisal and inventory management application on the market to deliver both wholesale and retail data including Cars.com, AutoTrader, eBay, BlackBook, NADA, AuctionNet, Carfax, AutoCheck and more.  All data is complimented with intelligent market data including Market Days Supply, Price Variance, Option Filtering and Real-time competitive views.

Features of the app include an intuitive VIN scanner, VIN paste and quick-adds if you’re away from the vehicle, and direct integration with the eCarList desktop software.  Our dealers have the ability to photograph, price, edit and upload vehicles directly from the App to our inventory management software which instantly updates the website and retail sites. Read the rest of this entry »

Automotive advertising agencies rely on AdAgencyOnline.Net, a free automotive advertising resource / networking portal, to help them find and review cutting edge automotive advertising applications.  The automotive advertising social networking site features a blog talk radio station — WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time — hosted by Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C.  Philip conducts interviews with auto industry insiders who share their latest automotive advertising applications with his online audience of automotive advertising decision makers.  This week his Automotive Advertising Experts show, scheduled to air Friday, August 27th, 2010 from 12:00 Noon EST to 12:30 PM EST, will include an  interview with Robert Gruen, the founder and CEO of The Higher Gear Group.

The Higher Gear Group has been a recommended vendor for the affiliated automotive advertising agencies of Ad Agency Online for many years, however, according to Philip recent news about enhancements to their suite of products demanded an update on their platform for his auto dealer clients.  “I have always valued people over product and price so when a trusted friend, Jay Mattingly, called to tell me that he had returned to The Higher Gear Group as their Vice President after a brief separation I was all ears.  I have always recognized The Higher Gear Group as a user friendly CRM application with intuitive processes that fit seamlessly into the sales systems at most auto dealerships.  However, Jay quickly brought me up to speed as to why he was excited to get back on The Higher Gear Group Team with their enhanced platform defined under their new Overdrive banner which includes showroom, customer relationship and lead management systems.”

“Jay’s excitement over the new products and services that had been added to their simple to use CRM — Done Right application included his description of their integrated eZDesk system defined by their slogan — Multipayment Desking Made Easy, their eZBDC — Follow Up Made Easy and other products with descriptive names including their MyGarage — Be-back system, Super form — All-in-one lead generation, Bargain Button — Interactive Offer System and feature functions like their One-click Navigation, Mobile Site solution, Social Media Integration, High-indexing Search Technology, Affiliate Tracking, Dealer Care Proactive Site Maintenance and their Automated Credit Application Integration.  Once Jay caught his breath, we both realized that this was no longer The Higher Gear Group that we had previously reviewed.  We agreed that the only one capable of connecting what was to what is and what will be at The Higher Gear Group was their founder, Robert Gruen, so I invited him to join me on our Automotive Advertising Experts blog talk radio show to talk about their next generation of automotive advertising solutions.”   Read the rest of this entry »

To train — or not to train — is not the question according to automotive advertising agencies who understand the importance of investing in the people part of the sales and service process by providing training before, during and after the sale.  Training has often been considered as an afterthought by auto dealers who have enjoyed the luxury of having more customers than cars with a never ending supply of salespeople and service writers who earned a higher than average income for their efforts.  Today’s consolidating auto industry has changed the math for auto dealers who now have to deal with shrinking sales volumes, reduced profit margins and the resulting loss of a ready willing and able sales and service staff whose incomes have been reduced along with dealer profits. 

Automotive advertising agencies have always been tied to their auto dealer clients bottom line — whether they knew it or not — and today’s automotive advertising agencies are realizing that their areas of responsibility do not stop at the front door of the auto dealership.  Automotive advertising plans geared for the Internet using digital marketing platforms coupled with internal sales and service processes powered by integrated technologies provide efficiencies that allow auto dealerships to operate with reduced budgets and support staff in sales and service. 

Unfortunately, many auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies have been operating with the false sense of security that the people aren’t as important as the technology and/or the processes that they have applied to replace them.   That is as untrue today as it was yesterday. People still like to do business with people that they like and human nature has survived on the world wide web.  The real solution for auto dealers forced to operate with fewer sales people and service writers is to train them in the use of the new technology, however, not at the expense of training them in understanding human nature and proven old school best practices to sell a car.

New technologies and automotive advertising applications include training solutions that offer efficiencies similar to other sales and service processes that have been applied to reduce expenses for auto dealers.   However, even the best training system can’t teach someone to be a nice person and/or to place their customer’s interests ahead of their own.  These applications must be coupled with people skills that are best hired vs. taught and they start before the sale or even the hiring of the sales person or service writer ever begins.  Read the rest of this entry »