The Eureka! Link

[Joe Pistell]

BP, Default = no "gateway page", just links to the dealers page as it does now. Dealer opt in creates gateway page.

 

[D. Rawls]

Thanks Joe;

Gotta love the synthesis of thought. It made us an alphabet, a Bible and even cars (and God knows automobiles have come a long way, baybee!).

Dealers don't sell cars. They do run businesses where cars are sold (hopefully).

At least 90% of auto retail customers never even meet the dealer from whom's business their auto is purchased. But, in an age when socialization is important already, and becoming vastly more important each day, this is the disconnect.

A consumer is willing to buy a car from (you all know this...) 'someone they believe, like, and trust'. Almost always, this is a consultant they meet as a professional representative of the dealer.

All I am saying here is, AT and Cars would do well to introduce themselves to these same professional representatives at the dealers they currently serve. It would mean they (AT and Cars) begin to leverage a portion of the industry sector that is growing vs. shrinking - units are up almost 40% while dealerships are down grossly more.

Its easy! Afterall, I am not that damn smart. Remember, I began this journey as 'just a sales guy'. Condescending remarks are condiments for my coffee. I just leave them where they are...

 

[Joe Pistell]

Donnel,

Whatever is in your head ain't making it to print.

If you have something to sell that will help our industry, then write your own article and submit it. What ever connections your trying to make to this thread are un-related.

 

[D. Rawls]

Thanks Joe;

Will do...

 

[Alex Snyder (blog)]

Donnel,

I'm having a tough time following you. I have a feeling you're onto something, but it just isn't coming out.

 

[Brian Pasch]

We can try this on the Automotive Advertising Network and see what happens.

 

[Joe Pistell]

I am on vacation, I return March 10th.

Sales inquiries (software/operation/marketing)
---Hold until April 10th and re-send.

Advertising offers
---send to our ad agency, email to:[email protected]

Billing Matters
---can sent to [email protected]

Issues needing a Store Manager:

[email protected]
(manager: DJ Mollica & asst. manager: Fran Cardinal)

[email protected]
(manager: Peter Detor and asst manager: Randy Sasso)

[email protected]
(manager: Rob Curcio & asst manager: Bob Cziesler)

VERY Important issues that can't wait until I return, should be sent to Todd Caputo's attention at: [email protected]

 

[Joe Pistell]

cool. I see 2 opportunities to exploit.

#1). VDP to Gateway%
(number of clicks & quality of leads [bounce rate, %forms submitted])

#2). Gateway form optimization

 

[D. Rawls]

Thank You Alex;

At any dealership, the conversation that ultimately results in a transaction is between a consultant and a consumer, right?

And, at AT and Cars, the primary objective is to get the dealers inventory/offering in front of the consumer via online ads - and start the conversation, right?

Both of these have 'the conversation' as the common point of value.

Through the consultant (sales person), AT and Cars could manage these conversations not only from start, but throughout the entire life cycles of consumers' multiple auto purchases. This multiplicity is key.

In auto retail, Alex, as you understand, each year there is a particular number of units sold that defines the overall success of 'our industry'. Why not look at AT and Cars based upon a percentage of this number? Why not ask Chip and Mr. Golub, "what percentage of the total global market do you expect to DELIVER using your products?"

Based upon the percentage, challenge these companies to make their services into transaction-based offerings. So, if AT and Cars say they are responsible for 25% of all auto retail transactions globally, dealers who run the business that hire AT and Cars can assign a specific value to their service offerings.

The consultants (sales persons) responsible for conducting these transactions represent the new client channel for AT and Cars, if they are to come to market with a transaction-based offering.

So, once again, AT and Cars need to offer a service to the consultants that leverages the value of the conversations kept with the consumers
and attach to it a transaction-based revenue model.

Let me know Alex, if this is any clearer. Thanks champion!

 

[DrewAment]

Dont know where all this came from. Dont know what you are all on. Dont know what half of you are saying. Dont know what this article was origianlly about.

Analytics on a couple dealers show about 165 clicks to dealer site from AutoTrader.com - with a conversion rate (not including phone calls) of 16%. IMO, this means the dealer is getting 16 more leads a month. In the CRM they show as dealer website, shouldn't they be sourced as ATC? But then again, what made them convert? Dealer site or ATC?