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Auto Dealer Client News

Auto Dealer Client News

Standing Out

Is Your Dealership Standing Out in Your Market? If Not, Why Not?

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Standing out in your market is important, especially if there are other dealers in your area selling the same products you offer.

YOUR USP

What makes your dealership unique? If you cannot immediately come up with a good reason or two why a prospective car buyer in your area should by from you, it’s a good idea to try and determine your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. The Cambridge Dictionary defines USP as, “A feature of a product that makes it different from and better than other similar products and that can be emphasized in advertisements for the product.” Ask yourself these questions:

What, if anything, does my dealership do (or not do) that’s specialized in my market?

Is there something about the way you do business that would make a shopper want to visit my dealership?

Is there something in the customer experience at my dealership that leaves us standing out among the others? (Note: It could be in the showroom, service department or anywhere else at your store. It could be anything that eliminates what would otherwise be a frustrating thing for a customer – and must be important enough to be part of your USP.)

YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

Another way to ensure standing out is determining who comprises your target audience. A great place to start is looking at your current customer base. In what age range is your typical customer? Where do they live? What are their interests? What are their incomes and educational levels? When you know your target audience, you’ll be more effective in developing advertising campaigns and special offers that coincide with the interests of your customers.

If you are still unclear of these things, it’s time to enlist the services of JKR Automotive Advertising. We’ll help you find a clear identity, meaning you’ll be standing out amidst the sea of dealers in your area. And once your USP has been determined, we’ll let everyone in your area know all about it, so people will want to buy from you! Get the ball rolling by calling Richard Brauns at (407) 701-4233 today.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Listen to Radio

The Masses Still Listen to Radio

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A common theme among some advertisers is that fewer people listen to radio now than in years past. But here’s the truth: According to a recent RadioKing.com article, Nielsen data clearly demonstrates that radio remains undeniably popular; in fact, it reaches 84% of the population ages 18-49. When you actually think about it, radio’s popularity makes a lot of sense.

The article goes on to examine the top five reasons people listen to radio … and here we include portions of RadioKing’s explanations for each one.


(1) Accessibility and Convenience: “Radio stands out for its accessibility and convenience, offering an audio medium that reaches a broad audience without the need for expensive equipment. Its simplicity and portability allow listeners to tune in from virtually anywhere, whether at home, in a car or on the go.”

(2) Local Content: “Community stations play a crucial role in the radio industry. They foster community identity and engagement by delivering news, stories and music that resonates with local audiences. Local radio features programs … which larger, national stations may overlook.”

(3) Music Discovery: “Discovering new music and artists is another key reason as to why people still listen to radio. Music radio stations often target a specific genre or era, providing specially curated playlists for their targeted audience. Not only do listeners benefit from their favorite tracks and artists, it’s also a great way for them to discover new songs they are likely to enjoy.”

(4) Talk Shows and News: “The popularity of live talk shows, interviews and listener call-ins is what makes radio stand out from other media. Radio hosts seek a direct connection with their listeners by including them in the life of the radio show. Radio also remains a crucial tool for emergency communication, providing timely updates and critical information during crises.

(5) Companionship: “People continue to turn to the radio for companionship. Many find comfort and connection in the familiar voices and engaging content It provides. Radio hosts become trusted friends to their listeners, offering a sense of presence and consistency throughout the day. This is particularly significant for those who might feel isolated.”

The Takeaway
You should be advertising on the radio because the masses still listen to radio! The fact is, no other broadcast media option can give you the combination of reach and frequency like radio – and it can do it in a way that you can afford.

Contact Richard Brauns (407) 701-4233 or Jon Albert (407) 718-2494 today for a complimentary automotive advertising and marketing review. We’ll explain in detail why harnessing the power of radio is such a game-changer for automobile dealers.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Employee,Retention,Programme.,Retain,,Motivate,And,Train

How to Reduce Your High Employee Turnover Rate

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As always, the employee turnover rate at automobile dealerships is extremely high. According to a recent JMA Group study, turnover for service advisors came in at 49%, while yearly turnover for sales consultants was at 80%. In support of these telling statistics, a Zippia study showed that the average tenure of an automobile sales consultant is less than two years. That’s astonishing!

Why is this? When searching for the answer, a good place to start is examining past history and comparing it to today’s automotive dealership climate.

A couple decades ago, dealers just accepted that a high employee turnover rate was part of doing business – especially in the sales department. At that time, a big part of the problem was the commission structures, meaning if a new salesperson wasn’t instantly successful, they wouldn’t be able to pay their bills. In addition, the salesperson of that era worked 60-plus hours, which gave them less time to spend away from the dealership.

It almost boggles the mind that these were once accepted practices when you remember that employee retention has a direct correlation with customer retention – and that it costs a great deal of time and money to train a new employee. Are you ready for a stunning stat? According to this study, dealerships lose an average of $500,000 to the revolving door of employees. So that begs the questions: What can be done to combat the employee turnover rate issue?

Employee Turnover Rate Solutions
∙ Based on the aforementioned studies, it appears that today’s automotive sales business professional prefers time off over money. Though the ones still working 50-60 hours per week earn more than their counterparts working 40-45 hours, there is a larger turnover rate among those enduring the longer work weeks. So be careful not to overwork your best people.

∙ A dealer would be wise to really get to know candidates during the interview process. Don’t just settle for any old “warm body”. Look for the people who understand what it takes to give your customers what they need and want.

∙ It’s important to show paths of career opportunities for your employees. No one wants to feel stuck in a dead-end job.

∙ Train sales staff well so they’re ready and qualified to be on your sales floor! Invest in them and pay special attention to those with the most potential. Think about it: the longer an employee sticks around, the more they will learn about their jobs – and the jobs of others at your store. That’s a win for you and your customers!

∙ Eliminate the “good-old-boy” network and you will go a long way toward keeping a larger percentage of female employees. People want to work where they are respected and treated as equals. Right now, 21.4% of dealership employees are female according to the US Bureau of Labor, and that number is expected to continue growing. When you foster a comfortable work environment for women, it will help you immeasurably.

You likely can’t account for those who “just want to give it a try” and discover they don’t like working at car dealerships; or those who aren’t cut out for the business – but you can greatly reduce your employee turnover rate if you make a concerted effort to put your people in positions to succeed.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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Reminder: Building Customer Relationships is Always Important!

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Relationships matter. In all walks of life, whether personal or professional, the relationships you build are vital to success. It’s no different in the automotive industry; in fact, it may be even more important than you’ve considered.

A recent article by Qualtrics, a Seattle-based experience management company, presents several excellent effects that occur from positive customer relationship building.

Improved Customer Loyalty/Customer Lifetime Value: The article mentions that, not only do happy customers come back more often, they frequently spend more when they do! According to their study, customers who give perfect five-star ratings are more than twice as likely to purchase from that company again. And in the current automotive climate, that’s an especially big deal, because each time they come back to you, they’re giving you more value and costing you less.

Reduced “Customer Churn”: Customers who are consistently pleased with their experience at your dealership are certainly more likely to be loyal to you. Good professional relationships with your customers means they know they can expect the best from you – every time … and that hard work pays off in a number of ways.

Lower Customer Acquisition Costs: What’s the best way to ensure a great ROI? You got it … relationships! The article cites these telling numbers: “You have a 60-70% percent chance of selling to an existing customer; in contrast, selling to a new potential lead is as low as 5-20%. And this is supported by the old adage that it costs 5-10 times as much to gain a new customer than it does to retain an old one.

One of our clients, a Fixed Operations Director, put it best when he said, “The sales department sells a customer their first car, but it’s the service department that sells them their second, third, fourth, and so on. When you build relationships with your customers, it makes a huge difference. Over time, the customer enters the dealership with the feeling they’re coming to see friends.”

How many “friends” do you have at your dealership? The short answer is, you can never have enough of them!

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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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.

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