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Richard Brauns

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Hall of Fame

JKR Advertising & Marketing Enters Orlando Business Hall of Fame

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We’ve made the Hall of Fame! For the second straight year, JKR Advertising & Marketing has been named the recipient of the Best of Orlando Award in the Advertising Agency category. And because we are among a very small group of companies to win this award in consecutive years, it qualifies JKR for inclusion on the list of 2024 Orlando Business Hall of Fame inductees.

Each year, the Orlando Award Program identifies companies achieving exceptional success in their business category. Honorees are companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their clients and the communities in which they reside. These exceptional businesses help make the Orlando area a great place to live, work and play.

JKR is truly honored to receive these distinguished awards. We thank the committee for again choosing us from among a number of very talented agencies in our area.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars
This,Is,A,Great,Work,Environment.,Portrait,Of,A,Young

Create a Positive Work Environment for Your Employees and They’ll Produce

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What kind of work environment are you providing at your employees at your dealership? Is it one that fosters a positive culture based on opportunity, good earning potential and an overall comfortable work environment? Be honest … take a close look at your store. If you can’t answer yes to this question above, it’s time for a change! A recent CBT News article published a list of things that are “possible causes of a bad dealership culture”, and here are a few of the big ones.

∙ Morale problems stemming from a culture based on fear and lack, where employees fear repercussions from management, their peers or the owners.

∙Recent leadership changes. New management, a new CEO or a new dealer principal can cause stress and dissention.

∙Management who treat employees as expendable or dehumanize them with their words or actions.

∙Staff member changes. Employing unskilled or uncaring new hires may cause tenured employees to feel disrespected or disregarded, as they are forced to carry the weight of others. And a large number of new hires means the organization has little or no group cohesion.

In fact, bad management/dealer culture is the second-biggest reason employees quit dealerships, trailing only salary.

If These Work Environment Problems Exist, Fix Them!
According to the article – and it makes perfect sense – the first step in fixing issues is admitting they exist! Begin by telling your employees you’re aware there are problems within the dealership’s culture … and that you will work to alleviate them, even if they start at the top.

It’s also beneficial to enlist the help of your staff members, so they feel part of the solution. Then, when you implement the plan, don’t abandon it; instead, carry it out all the way through and make any necessary tweaks to it along the way. Be sure to praise your employees for their excellent work and demand accountability. And, as the article reiterates, “Don’t be afraid to let go of those who don’t support the new dealership culture.” In other words, while everyone needs time to adjust to a new work environment, no one should be allowed to undermine your authority or keep others from doing their jobs to the best of their abilities.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

2024-Telly-Awards

JKR Captures Trio of 2024 Telly Awards

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We at JKR Advertising are thrilled to announce that we have won three 2024 Telly Awards in the 45th annual competition that honors excellence in video and television across all screens.

Under the guidance of Senior Partner Richard Brauns, UAPs, Not UFOs! won a pair of awards; a Silver Telly Award in the General Automotive category, and a Bronze Telly in the “Low Budget – Under $2,500” classification. In addition to exceptional special effects, the 30-second spot puts an amusing twist on the UFO/UAB debate.

Meanwhile, under the direction of Senior Account Executive Brittany Scott, Dealership Draft took home a Bronze Telly in the “Craft – Use of Comedy” category. While parodying an annual sports draft, animated commissioner Rob Iberg lets everyone know, in no uncertain terms, the choice for the top auto dealership in Alabama.

“When it comes to awards, it doesn’t get much better than the Tellys,” said JKR Production Director Joe Minuni. “Winning three of them in a single year is a testament to our clients, who give us the freedom to flex our creative muscle. These awards also highlight the fantastic work of our creative and production team members, because they all played such integral parts in this accomplishment.” In addition to Minuni, JKR creative and production team members include Jared Maurer, Tanner Swierc, Jamie Smith and John Weis.

About the Telly Awards
Founded in 1979, the Telly is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders worldwide. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council, an industry body of over 200 leading experts from advertising agencies, production companies and major television networks. Chosen from among more than 12,000 global entries from all 50 states and six continents, Telly Award winners feature work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world.

Perception,Is,Everything

Radio Advertising from a Customer Viewpoint

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When you prepare your radio advertisements from a customer viewpoint, that is, being cognizant of how they’ll process your ad as they consume it, you’ll have a greater chance of achieving success. And as you’ll discover as you read on, this is more important today than ever!

There are some fundamental things that customers have in mind as they begin their search for a vehicle. These include whether they should shop for new or pre-owned; do they want a car, truck or SUV and which one fulfills their needs; can they afford the payment (think: getting the best deal possible); and which dealerships/dealer Websites to visit during their search. You should always create your advertisements with these things – the customer viewpoint – in mind, especially knowing they shop for cars differently these days than in years past.

Consider a recent Cox Automotive study that found, on average, most car shoppers consider just two vehicles and visit only two dealerships. This is remarkable when you consider that only one out of every three buyers know exactly which car they want before beginning the shopping process.

The Not-So-Secret Ingredients
So how do you do what you can to increase the likelihood that your dealership is one of those two? Let’s start with this: you need the proper amount of reach and frequency. Second, you need an enticing offer good enough to produce action. Next, a cleverly written ad or catchy jingle helps. And finally, your radio advertisements should create a sense of urgency in the mind of the potential customer.

Need a New Direction? We Can Help.
Now that you understand radio advertising from a customer viewpoint, stop and consider if your current advertisements are on point – or do you need to re-evaluate things a bit? If you need assistance or can’t immediately say yes, we’d love to have a chat with you. Call Jon Albert at (407) 718-2494 or Richard Brauns at (407) 701-4233 for a complimentary review of your advertising strategy. You’ll be amazed at the information you get from a brief, no-strings-attached talk with our industry experts!

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Complaints

Don’t Discuss Customer Complaints with Them Online

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Today’s social media landscape has changed the way customers deal with their complaints about a particular product or service they’ve received. This is no different in the automobile industry. And when a potential customer looks for reviews of a business online and finds negative ones, it can have an effect on the company’s reputation and can make that person decide to shop elsewhere.

it or not, people go out of their way to look for bad reviews. The vast majority of customers want to know about a company’s shortcomings, real or perceived, before doing business with them. Also, the unfortunate fact of life is that people are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one. Why? Because negative reviews – complaints – are inspired by emotional responses!

Then, consider this bit of information, which makes these negative reviews all the more concerning: More than 80 percent of the adult population trusts online reviews as much as they would an in-person recommendation.

Tread Lightly
Knowing this, it is imperative that you react to complaints promptly and with 100% sincerity … but do not get into a discussion with a customer about their issue on social media. However, it’s OK (and even recommended) to ask them to contact you privately! A brief, public response indicates to those who read it that you do care and are paying attention. You are sorry they are unhappy and want to resolve their issue … and you sincerely thank them for the opportunity to serve them. But after that, private communication is a must!

Despite an automobile dealership doing its best to demonstrate care and proactiveness, engaging a customer online risks drawing others’ attention to a negative experience. If, for whatever reason, the public response to the customer’s complaint doesn’t immediately solve their problem, this could lead to excessive, unnecessary responses, not only from the upset customer but also from others. And a sudden influx of negativity can dominate a brand’s social media presence and cause all sorts of headaches for a dealership!

But when you offer a sincere apology and an invitation to continue the conversation using a “closed response” strategy and inviting further conversation via private channels, any additional damage is effectively mitigated. And when you take care of complaints in the right way, these customers often become your biggest future advocates!

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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