Nicholas Cerame

They say it’s impossible to time the stock market! Luckily for you the wholesale used car market is a bit easier to predict. Check out the latest trends reported by COX automotive. If you followed the wholesale vehicle market over the last decade you might agree with the assessment below. Pre pandemic- Best practices were reliable and consistent. Mid pandemic- You couldn’t lose on resale values, but your gains were impacted by the high cost of new vehicle replacements. Post pandemic- Resale values are sliding, but still strong. OEMs have opened up their order banks, incentives are on the rise and the increase in new vehicle supply is impacting used vehicle values. Is NOW the best time to cash in on your older vehicles? Let us help by providing you with a vehicle health and replacement study. Take the guess work out of vehicle replacement. Message me to get started.

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[Compton's Take] Everywhere I look, it seems the sky is falling for automotive dealers. The statistic being spread is that profits have dropped 34% on average. I have a different outlook for dealers... First, that number is an AVERAGE. (We're talking about average? Average? Average?) Second, who wants to be average? World Class Operators are in the top 20% of our industry. Because the number of below-average dealers is so numerous it skews the average. There’s a different mindset between average and world-class: - Average competes; world-class innovates. - Average avoids risk; world-class takes calculated risks. - Average makes excuses; world-class makes it happen. - Average has a scarcity mindset while world-class embraces abundance. - Average is frustrated; world-class is grateful. - Average is problem-oriented; world-class is solution-oriented. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: If you got out of bed this morning and went to work because you wanted to, you're in control of your destiny. If you went to work because you had to, your job controls you. Ayn Rand said, “Wealth is the product of a man's capacity to think.” (Atlas Shrugged) Compton Says, "Destiny is a daily decision." 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽: Check your ego at the door. Ask yourself: Are my thoughts, words, and actions congruent with the vision I have for my destiny? H/T to Ed French, for teaching me about world-class performance in automotive. H/T to Brett Sutherlin for sharing his August records results for his stores, which inspired this post.

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Automotive Risk Management Partners Brings 40 years' auto retail and compliance experience to help dealers protect themselves and their customers.

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Are you Ready to Unlock Your Sales Team's Full Potential with AutoTrainer at Digital Dealer Conference & Expo!   Do you want to take your dealership's performance to the next level? AutoTrainer is redefining how automotive sales teams are trained and developed. Here’s why you need to join me in stopping by their booth (#229) at Digital Dealer:   📊 Advanced Sales Coaching & Training Solutions: AutoTrainer goes beyond traditional training by delivering data-driven, real-time coaching that focuses on your team's unique strengths and areas for improvement. This tailored approach ensures every team member is equipped to handle the challenges of today’s competitive automotive market.   📈 Proven Results, Boosting Performance and Conversion: Whether it's improving your team's ability to close deals or enhancing customer interactions, AutoTrainer's proven methods help you boost conversion rates, drive more sales, and increase profitability.   💡 Transforming Leads into Lifelong Customers: It’s not just about hitting sales targets—AutoTrainer’s innovative coaching methods are designed to improve customer retention and loyalty. By refining your team’s customer engagement techniques, you’ll build lasting relationships that keep customers coming back to your dealership.   🚀 Real-Time Feedback for Immediate Impact: Unlike traditional training programs, AutoTrainer provides instant feedback and measurable results through cutting-edge technology. Your team can start applying new skills and strategies on the spot, driving immediate improvements in performance.   🌟 Tailored for the Automotive Retail Environment: AutoTrainer understands the unique challenges faced by dealerships. That’s why their platform is built specifically for the automotive retail environment, ensuring your team receives the most relevant, impactful coaching available.   Don’t miss out on the chance to revolutionize your sales strategy! Stop by the AutoTrainer booth at Digital Dealer to learn from Marty Hu how their solutions can help you:   - 🔹 Increase conversion rates - 🔹 Drive customer satisfaction - 🔹 Optimize team performance - 🔹 Maximize profitability   AutoTrainer is your secret weapon for staying ahead of the competition in 2024! Come see what makes them the premier choice for dealerships across the country.   #DigitalDealer #AutoTrainer #SalesTraining #CustomerLoyalty #AutomotiveSales #LeadConversion #CustomerSatisfaction #PerformanceCoaching #DealershipSuccess Brooke C Furniss April Simmons Hannah Lifson Earl "Sticks" Brown 😇🚐☎️ Wendy Reeves ⭐️Russell B. Hill⭐️ Tim Hayden Nathan Szczesiul Robin Berrendorf Dan Trinidad John Ellis Durran Cage David Long Darrell Steed Jasen Rice Jason Harris Samantha Foster Jim Ziegler, CSP, HSG, OG Bob Manor Brian Kramer Glenn Lundy Tony Thorstad Paul Brobson Larry Feldman Jean Reitelbach  

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Real-time data, 160+ micro territory specifics, condition insights, & configured business model. Time to trade up from your 90's trade tool ACV Auctions ACV MAX ClearCar

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🚗 **The Importance of Reading Lead Forms in Car Dealerships** 🚗 In my 28 years in the automotive retail industry, I've seen many changes and advancements. However, one persistent issue stands out: the failure of salespeople and BDC agents to thoroughly read and respond to lead forms submitted by customers on dealership websites. After reviewing numerous mystery shops, it's clear that many dealerships miss crucial information provided by customers. This oversight can lead to missed opportunities and dissatisfied potential buyers with poor or incorrect responses. Lead forms are more than just a collection of names and contact details. They contain valuable insights into customer needs, preferences, and timelines. When this information is overlooked or not properly addressed, it sends a message to the customer that their needs are not important. Here's how we can improve: 1. **Thoroughly Read the Lead Forms**: Take the time to understand what the customer is looking for. 2. **Respond Accordingly**: Craft your responses—whether by email, text, or voicemail—based on the information provided. Personalize your communication to show the customer that you value their time and needs. 3. **Follow Up**: Consistent and timely follow-ups can make a significant difference. Ensure that the customer feels heard and valued at every touchpoint. By paying attention to these details, we can enhance the customer experience, build trust, and ultimately increase sales. Fear mediocrity. Strive for excellence in every interaction!! #AutomotiveIndustry #CustomerService #CarSales #BDC #LeadManagement #CustomerExperience #SalesTips #FearMediocrity

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🚗Auto Dealer: We want to build authority in the market. 👩‍💻Me: Sounds good! So, what makes you different from the thousands of other dealerships? What’s your unique selling point? 🚗Auto Dealer: Well, we sell cars. 👩‍💻Me: Ah, yes, cars, the thing that basically every dealership in town is selling. I mean, do you have flying cars? Do they come with built-in coffee makers? Or maybe they have an auto paint job that changes color with your mood? 🚗Auto Dealer: Uh… no, they’re just regular cars. 👩‍💻Me: OK, OK. Maybe you sell them at less-than-market rates to really pull at people's heartstrings? 🚗Auto Dealer: No, we sell cars at regular prices. Actually, I'm not sure! 👩‍💻Me: If you, as a founder, don’t know what makes your brand special, how can I convince people to buy from you? 🚗Auto dealer: 🦗 ----------------------- To all the #car dealers and other business owners: -Before you start asking for help with content, branding, or marketing, make sure you understand your “why.” -There must be something unique about your business—something that sets you apart from the competition. Maybe it's how you personalize the car buying experience, or perhaps it's the way you treat your customers. Maybe you offer rare, hard-to-find vehicles or provide a level of service that makes customers come back time and again. -Whatever it is, if you don't know what makes your business special, you can't expect anyone to help you stand out.

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I see so many automotive connections looking for work, some for 6 months or longer. Here's the strategy I used and its easy to copy. Take your expertise, find great vendors and take your expertise to local dealers. If you do this, your not a freelance or but a consultant. Meaning you can find the clients, and let your vendor/partner do their thing, And you own the relationship with the local dealer. You receive a monthly commission from vendor/partner. And can invoice the dealer for your instore consulting service. Here's the deal, you are an expert at something, You can provide your services and be a W-2 employee with a single store, Or go 1099 and have 10 local stores as clients. When you lose your job your income goes to $0, If you lose a client your income drops 10%. For me getting clients has always been a helluva lot easier than getting a job.

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Automotive repair shops face challenges due to inadequate operational procedures. Implementing effective tactics can lead to significant enhancements in performance and profitability. #business #automotive #businesscoach #businessgrowth

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🚖🚗 Used Car Managers, General Managers, Dealer Principals & Automotive Professionals 🚘🚙 Drive more eyes to your inventory and watch your sales take off! 👀🧨🚀 Friday, November 1st, starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... Join John Ellis, David Long, Brian Kramer, Jasen Rice, and other automotive superstars as they share their best kept secrets on how to make your inventory irresistible and Get More 👀 Eyeballs on David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump into the conversation or be a 🪰 on the wall like me! Either way, you’ll walk away with amazing insights and actionable tips that you can implement at your dealership TODAY to make you and your bottom line better immediately. 💰🤑💵💲 👀 in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer #sales #davidlong #episode179

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Why Your Automotive Dealership Needs a Strong BDC Team In today's fast-paced automotive market, having a top-tier **Business Development Center (BDC)** isn't just an option—it's a necessity. A well-trained BDC team does more than just set appointments—they drive revenue, enhance the customer experience, and keep your pipeline full. 🎯 Here’s why investing in your BDC is critical: 1. **Lead Management**: Your BDC ensures no leads slip through the cracks, converting potential buyers into customers. 2. **Customer Retention**: Consistent follow-up builds trust and loyalty, bringing customers back for service and future purchases. 3. **Efficiency**: By offloading initial customer interactions, your sales team can focus on closing deals. 4. **Revenue Growth**: A well-oiled BDC boosts your sales, service ROs, and customer satisfaction rates. A successful BDC doesn’t just support your dealership—it transforms it. Ready to unlock the full potential of your team? #BDC #AutomotiveIndustry #CustomerExperience #LeadManagement #SalesGrowth #CarDealership #BusinessDevelopment #AutoSales #ServiceDrive #AutomotiveBDC #DealershipSuccess #SalesStrategy #DigitalMarketing #CustomerRetention 💬 Let’s talk BDC strategy in the comments!

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What's the most ironic thing in automotive? Dealer marketing agencies that struggle to generate dealer leads. Think about this... Selling to consumers is a completely different game than selling to dealers. Dealers see through the flashy promotions that work with consumers. They want to go directly to the bottom line: Profits, ROI, Process Improvement, and Proven Results. Back in the day, you could offer a free digital-audit, They felt exclusive, insightful and valuable, Point out all the things the current agencies is doing wrong, And that was good enough to drive sales. Today most agencies provide audits and it's no longer a high-value offer. What's the solution? Agencies must offer their own tech-enabled solutions. Not reselling a white-label of someone's else's tech, dealers recognize this. Tech-enabled tools that go beyond advice and provide results, that's the future. Developing proprietary tech requires investments and the best agencies already are doing this. But sadly, dealers don't care about tech, they care about results. If your tech can’t prove it works—then it’s just noise. And selling will always be a struggle.

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Building customer trust in automotive sales starts with honesty—especially when you don’t have the answer to a question. Faking knowledge can harm your credibility and strain business relationships. Instead, be upfront. If you’re unsure, let the customer know you’ll find the answer for them. This not only preserves trust but also demonstrates your commitment to delivering accurate and dependable service. By prioritizing integrity and thoroughness, we can foster stronger relationships and long-lasting trust with our customers. Let me know what you think.

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Important insight from Car Pros Automotive Group President Juan Alarcon on selling to your diverse customer base! Check out his latest article at WardsAuto for more.

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🚙Used Car Managers🔥 🔥General Managers🚗 🚘Dealer Principals🔥 🔥Automotive Professionals🚖 The way you price your inventory will make or break your profitability. This Friday, May 10th, starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... David Long leads an hour long conversation with automotive’s sharpest minds to bring you actionable strategies that help perfect your pricing strategy. David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump in the conversation or be a 🪰on the wall like me! Either way, you'll walk away with profit-boosting insights to grow your bottom line immediately. 💰💲💵💪🤑 Look in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. But in the meantime enjoy this eye-opening exchange between Brian Kramer and David Long on how to Create Your Own Market. #automotive #autodealers #automotivemarketing #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer

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Don't overcomplicate things. Control your controllables. If you sell to dealers we created a private group, Automotive Software Sales Leaders, which is focused on bringing valuable resources, expert content, best practices & networking opportunities to automotive SaaS sales professionals. Join our group, and you'll have access to our exclusive content with some of the top minds in Automotive technology. As a member of the community, you can expect to receive resources to help you move your business forward, grow your sales, improve your marketing, reduce mistakes and improve outcomes, increase margins, engage your workforce, and more. This community is for sales professionals in the automotive technology space who sell to automotive dealers, OEMs, or other organizations in the automotive ecosystem. Click here to join, it's free 👇 https://lnkd.in/efCbxAm ♻ Already a member? Please share to grow the community.

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HOLD 'EM or FOLD 'EM. That is the question on many dealers' minds each and every day regarding used inventory management. The next two months will tell us a lot about how the year will finish but for now, the price of buying inventory is outpacing the retail price to sell that inventory. We can expect, if the historical pattern continues, we will see a shift in the retail price in the next few weeks giving us some relief. Until then, with margin compression, holding for gross will need to be on hold as we are back in the velocity market, for all geological colors. We review the trends and insights with some guidance below. Our team can help you play the best hand every time. Reach out for a discussion. The Automotive Advisor Team Agile Auto, Inc BEVERYTHING, EV Consulting Frank Knox Durran Cage Peter Smith Joe Jackson 🔥

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🔍 Unlocking the Hidden Value of Your Dealership Database for Higher ROI! In today’s competitive automotive landscape, every dealership has a goldmine right at its fingertips – its database. A well-maintained, effectively utilized database isn’t just a list of past customers and leads; it’s a powerful asset driving measurable ROI and long-term success. Here’s how leveraging your dealership’s database can make all the difference: 1️⃣ Enhanced Customer Retention: With insights from the database, we can stay connected with customers long after the initial sale. Personalized follow-ups, timely service reminders, and targeted campaigns keep customers engaged, ensuring they return to us for their next vehicle or service need. 2️⃣ Improved Lead Conversion: Our database tells us who our high-intent shoppers are. By tailoring our messaging to these leads, we nurture their journey from inquiry to purchase more efficiently, increasing our chances of closing the sale. 3️⃣ Data-Driven Decision Making: Your database isn’t just a record of past interactions – it’s a roadmap to better business decisions. By analyzing customer preferences and behaviors, we can adjust our inventory, pricing, and promotions to meet real-time market demand, ultimately boosting profitability. 4️⃣ Targeted Marketing: Using our data, we can segment audiences by purchase history, preferences, and engagement, enabling us to deliver tailored marketing campaigns that resonate. This approach maximizes marketing ROI by focusing on customers most likely to respond. 5️⃣ Predictive Insights for Service Revenue: A robust database helps us predict maintenance needs, allowing proactive outreach for service appointments. This keeps vehicles running smoothly and builds customer loyalty, while driving consistent revenue to our service department. Investing in and utilizing our dealership’s database isn’t just about improving customer experience—it’s about fueling long-term growth and maximizing ROI. Let’s turn data into our dealership’s competitive edge! 🚀 If you got this far in the post and feel that I can be of assistance reach out I am here to help. #AutomotiveROI #DealershipSuccess #CustomerRetention #DataDrivenMarketing #AutomotiveIndustry #DealershipDatabase #BusinessDevelopment

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