With the new and used car markets contracting by circa 30%, every car dealership is hurting right now. So, where are the quick wins for cash-strapped auto retailers? Service and parts suddenly take on...

by Jonathan Fine How customer-friendly is your used car display? Review the following checklist to see which, if any, areas need attention. 1. Rotate your used car display every two or three days, to...

We all know that the web has changed forever the way our customers engage with dealerships. It has turned the average sales executive into a sophisticated order taker, skilful at rapport building and...

There is now no doubt that we are sliding into a period of considerable financial uncertainty. If you were to believe the major press, consumer spending is dropping through the floor with nobody...

Now is the time to push hard for extra used car sales, and increasingly the internet is the quickest and cheapest method available. Launch a fresh marketing campaign on your website, with the clear...

In the current economic climate – research shows that 9% of the UK’s 16.5 million mortgage holders could be considered sub-prime by lenders – motor retailers are naturally reviewing...

Aftersales marketing is often neglected because it is wrongly regarded as a dull area of business. The thrill of capturing the customer has passed and complacency can set in, tempting retailers to let...

The ‘your opinion counts’ test drive weekend offers customers the chance to compare a chosen model with its competitors. To use the example of a Renault dealership, the proposition would...

The ‘we want to buy your silver Clio’ marketing campaign typically converts an incredible 11 per cent or more of opportunities into sales. It works on the principal that most people cannot...

Effective car displays turn browsers into buyers by informing and conditioning their expectations of the product. And while the finer points of dressing a car for point of sale might be a matter of...

The simple mnemonic ‘IEDA’ (interest, enthusiasm, desire, action) has underpinned much of the most powerful and cost-effective automotive advertising to date, and is especially useful in...