New Car Networks "New Cars"» Featured http://newcarnetworks.com Inbound Marketing | Automotive Advertising Network | Buy New Cars Online New Car Deals | Internet Marketing | New Car News Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:35:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Jeep® is the First Domestic Automotive Brand to Garner 2 Million Facebook Fans http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/jeep-2-million-facebook-fans/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/jeep-2-million-facebook-fans/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:25:01 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=965

Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Jeep®brand is celebrating a major milestone today as its Facebook page has reached over 2 million fans.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

http://www.facebook.com/jeep

The brand is the first domestic automotive brand to hit the 2 million mark on Facebook, outpacing the next closest domestic brand by approximately 700,000 fans.

“On behalf of the entire Jeep brand team, I would like to extend a personal thank you to our consumers – and literally millions of fans – for their continued loyalty and support,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC.
“We are proud of our 70-year history and all that the Jeep brand has accomplished along the way. Jeep vehicle owners are unlike any others; from those who embrace the ‘Jeep wave’ to those who look forward to helping a fellow off-roader along the trail, there is a sense of community and passion among Jeep owners that makes our brand unique.”

The Jeep brand Facebook can be viewed at Jeep Facebook.

Jeep Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys.

The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup includes Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/jeep-2-million-facebook-fans/feed/ 0 Penske Automotive Reports Most Profitable Year in Company History http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/penske-automotive/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/penske-automotive/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:38:17 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=959

Penske Automotive - New Car Networks

Article Courtesy of: Dealer Communications

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Penske Automotive Group, Inc. announced this week that fourth quarter 2011 income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders increased 22% to $42.5 million and related earnings per share increased 24% to $0.47 per share.

This compares to income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of $34.9 million, or $0.38 per share in the same period last year.

Fourth Quarter 2011

  • Revenue Increases 11% to $3.0 Billion
  • Same-store Retail Revenue Increases 5.9%
  • Operating Income Increases 16% to $76.6 mil
  • Income from Continuing Operations Increases 22% to $42.5 Million
  • EPS from Continuing Operations Increases 24% to $0.47 per share
  • EBITDA Increases 16% to $89.7 Million

Full Year 2011

  • Revenue Increases 12% to $11.6 Billion
  • Same-store Retail Revenue Increases 8.2%
  • Operating Income Increases 15% to $298.2 mil
  • Income from Continuing Operations Increases 42% to $175.1 Million
  • EPS from Continuing Operations Increases 43% to $1.92 per share
  • EBITDA Increases 17% to $344.0 Million

Total revenue increased by 10.8%, to $3.0 billion, driven largely by an increase in total retail unit sales of 10.6%. The increase in retail unit sales was highlighted by a 20.0% increase in used retail unit sales, which drove the Company’s used-to-new ratio to 0.82 to 1. Same-store retail revenue increased 5.9% in the fourth quarter. Total gross profit for the Company improved 9.3% to $455.8 million and operating income increased 16.1% to $76.6 million.

Highlights of the Fourth Quarter

Total retail unit sales increased 10.6% to 71,453

  • +14.1% in the United States; +2.6% Internationally
  • New unit retail sales +4.0%
  • Used unit retail sales +20.0%

Same-store retail revenue increased 5.9%

  • New +2.7%; Used +14.1%; Finance & Insurance +11.4%; Service and Parts +0.7%
  • +9.3% in the United States; (0.1%) Internationally

Average Transaction Price Per Unit

  • New $38,816, +4.4%
  • Used $26,034, (1.3%)

Average Gross Profit Per Unit

  • New $3,251, +2.8%; Gross Margin 8.4%
  • Used $1,852, (2.6%); Gross Margin 7.1%
  • Finance & Insurance $965, +3.8%

Inventory Days’ Supply

  • New 49 days; Used 52 days

Chairman Roger Penske said, “Our fourth quarter results continue to demonstrate the strength of the automotive retail model and the benefit from our premium/luxury brand mix in both the U.S. and international markets. We produced another outstanding quarter of profitability while generating same-store revenue increases in each area of our business. I am extremely pleased with the continued strong performance of our used vehicle business, which increased same-store retail unit sales by 16% and same-store retail revenue by 14%, and our service and parts operations gross margin which added 120 basis points to 57.3%.”

For the year ended December 31, 2011, total revenue increased 11.9% to $11.6 billion. Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders was an all-time company record, increasing 41.7% to $175.1 million and related earnings per share increased 43.3% to $1.92. This compares to income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of $123.6 million, and related earnings per share of $1.34 per share in the same period last year. During 2011, the Company recognized a net income tax benefit of $11.0 million, or $0.12 per share, reflecting a positive adjustment from the resolution of certain tax items in the U.K. of $17.0 million, or $0.19 per share, partially offset by a reduction in deferred tax assets of $6.0 million, or $0.07 per share. After adjusting for these items, adjusted income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders was $164.0 million, or $1.80 per share, representing an increase of 34.3% on a per share basis compared to last year.

Penske added, “The performance of our business in 2011 exceeded our expectations.

We completed the most profitable year in the history of our Company, generating a same-store retail revenue increase of 8.2% and $344 million in EBITDA.

Further, we continued to grow the business through opportunistic acquisitions of approximately $1 billion in estimated annualized revenue, which includes the January 2012 Agnew Group acquisition in the U.K. We also discontinued non-strategic dealerships during 2011 with annualized revenues of approximately $300 million.

These acquisitions, coupled with the continued recovery in the retail automotive market, are expected to drive our business to higher levels in 2012.”

Article Courtesy of: Dealer Communications

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/penske-automotive/feed/ 0 2012 Super Bowl Car Commercials http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/super-bowl-car-commercials/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/super-bowl-car-commercials/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:10:44 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=948 Car Commercials Dominate Super Bowl 2012

The Super Bowl commercial…every year agencies gear up for the biggest spend of the year to get themselves in front of the largest captive audience in the world, however, the viral aspects that can transpire from the “right”  ad campaign has legs to last a lifetime!

Watch for Social and Mobile push components to increase reach and engagements!

Here are two automotive related commercials that will impact brand, reach and more… Everyone loves Bueller…Bueller? Oh YEAH!

Let’s see if it results in more sales and traction for the 2012 Honda CR-V

Honda Revisits Ferris Bueller with the 2012 CR-V

Volkswagen – The Dog Strikes Back

Game Day 2012 Super Bowl Ads


Toyota Re-Invented Camry- Super Bowl Car Commercials 2012

Acura Jerry Seinfeld – Super Bowl 2012

 Audi – Vampire Party Super Bowl 2012

 BMW – The Big Grab – Super Bowl Commercials

Cadillac – Green Hell – Super Bowl Ads 2012

Chevy Sonic Stunts – Super Bowl Ads 2012 – Car Commercials

Chevy Best Gift Ever – Super Bowl Commercials 2012 – Car Ads

Chevy Volt Aliens – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials  and Automotive Ads

Chevy Runs Deep with Rainn Wilson – Half Suit – Super Bowl 2012 – Car Commercials

Suzuki KIzashi – 50 Cent – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials

KIA Optima – Motley Crue Super Bowl Car Commercials 2012

Chevy Silverado – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/super-bowl-car-commercials/feed/ 0 Average age of Cars & Light Trucks in the U.S. has increased to 10.8 years http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/average-age-of-cars-light-trucks/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/average-age-of-cars-light-trucks/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:38:01 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=939

Polk: Average Age of Vehicles Reaches Record High

Posted by Dealer in News

Article Courtesy of:  Dealer Communications

Average Age of Cars & Light Trucks - New Car Networks

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The average age of cars and light trucks currently in operation in the U.S. has increased to 10.8 years, according to Polk, a leading global automotive market intelligence firm.

Passenger cars showed a modest increase in age since 2010, from 11 years to just 11.1 years at the end of June 2011 (see table A).  Light trucks (including pickups and SUVs) show a more sizeable gain in the same timeframe, from 10.1 years to 10.4 years.  Overall, average vehicle age has been increasing quickly over the past five years. Polk reports average age based on an analysis of national vehicle registration data.

Sales Declines in 2008-09 Continue to Impact Age of Fleet

The slowdown of the aging of passenger cars directly correlates to the low sales volumes and the mix of car and truck sales in the U.S. market in 2008 and 2009, a time in which more trucks than cars were registered.  While more trucks were sold over the same timeframe, they showed a faster aging rate.  Polk expects this trend may change in the coming years as CUV and small SUV populations in the U.S. market have risen in 2010 and 2011 due to their continued success in the market.   Additionally, the rebound in new vehicle sales in 2011 and for the next couple of years will most likely slow down the aging rate seen in the market over the past three years, according to Polk.

“The increasing age of the vehicle fleet, together with the increasing length of ownership, offers significant business growth opportunity for the automotive aftermarket,” said Mark Seng, global aftermarket practice leader at Polk.  “Dealer service departments and independent repair facilities, as well as aftermarket parts suppliers, will see increased business opportunity with customers in need of vehicle service.”

Year-over-year Light Vehicle Population Declines Come to an End

2011 marked the end of the U.S. vehicle population decline that has occurred annually since 2008.  According to Polk, the total vehicles in operation (VIO) in July 2011 was just over 240.5 million, an increase of 500,000 units over July in the previous year, and nearly equal to 2009 VIO (see table B).  The highest VIO on record was achieved in July 2008, when more than 242 million passenger cars and light trucks were on America’s roads.

Table A.

Average Age of Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
Year Passenger Cars Light Trucks Total Light Vehicles
1995 8.4 8.3 8.4
1996 8.5 8.3 8.5
1997 8.7 8.5 8.6
1998 8.9 8.5 8.8
1999 9.1 8.5 8.8
2000 9.1 8.4 8.9
2001 9.3 8.4 8.9
2002 9.4 8.4 9.0
2003 9.6 8.5 9.1
2004 9.8 8.6 9.4
2005 10.1 8.7 9.5
2006 10.3 8.9 9.7
2007 10.4 9.0 9.8
2008 10.6 9.3 10.0
2009 10.8 9.8 10.3
2010 11.0 10.1 10.6
2011 11.1 10.4 10.8

Source: Polk
(note: figures are from July 1 each year)

Table B.

Passenger Cars and Light Trucks Vehicles in Operation
Year Volume
2000 205,279,196
2001 209,199,497
2002 213,540,009
2003 218,375,207
2004 224,982,194
2005 231,986,557
2006 237,084,889
2007 240,912,739
2008 242,081,704
2009 241,509,108
2010 240,012,476
2011 240,504,646

Source: Polk
(note: figures are from July 1 each year)

About Polk

Polk is the premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions.  The organization collects and interprets global data, and provides extensive automotive business expertise to help customers understand their market position, identify trends, build brand loyalty, conquest new business and gain a competitive advantage. Polk helps automotive manufacturers and dealers, automotive aftermarket companies, finance and insurance companies, advertising agencies, media companies, consulting organizations, government agencies and market research firms make good business decisions. A privately held global firm, Polk is based in Southfield, Michigan with operations in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, please visit www.polk.com.

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/average-age-of-cars-light-trucks/feed/ 0 Nissan Rocks Facebook http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/nissan-facebook/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/nissan-facebook/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:04:40 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=928

Nissan Named One of Top Brands on Twitter for 2011; Surpasses 500,000 Facebook Fans

Nissan 350Z - New Car Networks

Nissan 350Z - New Car Networks

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Celebrating success on the brand’s social media channels, Nissan North America recognized how important tools like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have become to build brand loyalty, engage directly with consumers and generate website click-throughs.

Nissan credits the recent achievements for being responsive to the communities and offering what they’ve wanted: car enthusiasm and exclusive access inside the brand.

Top Brand on Twitter

As reported in Mashable last week, Nissan ranked #8 on list of Top 15 Brands on Twitter for 2011 as indexed by HootSuite². The recognition aligns the company, the only in the automotive industry on the list, with top social media players including Twitter itself, Apple and Nike. Nissan currently converses with more than 75,000 Twitter followers combined, across accounts for the brand @NissanNews and vehicle models @NissanVersa, @NissanJuke, @NissanQuest and @NissanLEAF.

“Nissan is proud to be earning recognition among such recognized leaders in the space,” said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “We look forward to using this momentum to lead our new product launch efforts in the months to come.”

Facebook Community Exceeds 500,000

Nissan proudly crossed the threshold into a half million likes on the brand’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/Nissan. The growth, predominantly organic, took a jump with the all-new Pathfinder Concept revealed on the Facebook page in series of videos during the North American International Auto Show.

Among closest industry competitors, Nissan leads in Facebook page growth over past three months by more than 10 percent³. More importantly for the brand, Nissan also leads in the interactions per fan, clearly fostering an engaged community.

“It is not just about the most number of fans for us,” said Erich Marx, Director of Social Media and Interactive Media. “While we hope to continue our growth, we are more interested in the engagement; the interactions the fans have with the content we share. We want to use social media in one of the best ways possible: a two-way communication with potential and current customers.”

Among those customers, Nissan recognized the importance of this social media channel within the Hispanic community and launched a Spanish-language Facebook page to connect with the Latino community at Facebook.com/NissanEspanol. Nissan also manages active Facebook communities for individual models including: LEAF, Altima, cube, JUKE, Quest, Versa and Nissan Performance (including Z and GT-R).

YouTube Surpasses 10 Million Views

The YouTube.com/NissanUSA channel also celebrated a numeric milestone with ten million views. Although newer on the channel compared to competitors, Nissan has earned more views in a shorter amount of time which the brand attributes to the content, media focus, search strategy and strategy of integrating the same video content on NissanUSA.com website and Facebook pages.

Launched Google+ Presence

While Facebook, Twitter and YouTube continue to drive most-active users in the social sphere, Nissan also launched a Google+ channel to participate on the new channel. Nissan is testing what different types of content the audience wants and expects on Google+, such as introducing a moving GIF image with the iconic GT-R.

Nissan North America founded a dedicated social media presence in fall 2009, enjoying solid growth by mainly organic means due to devoted fans. Nissan North America is supported by Omnicom Agencies Zócalo Group, TBWA/Chiat Day and Team Ignition for social media support.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 and 2011 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information about Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online atwww.NissanUSA.com and www.Infiniti.com.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010.

With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands.

A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to Sustainable Mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN.

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2012/nissan-facebook/feed/ 0 Ford Sales Back on Track – “Quality Delivers” http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/ford-sales-back-on-track/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/ford-sales-back-on-track/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:03:24 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=915

Ford Brand Sales Top 2 Million for 1st Time Since 2007

Posted on December 30th, 2011 by Dealer in News

Ford Mustang

DEARBORN, Mich. – U.S. sales of the Ford brand this week topped 2 million vehicles for the first time since 2007.

The milestone makes Ford the best selling brand in America and the first automotive brand to hit the 2 million mark since 2007.

“Ford’s lineup of high-quality, fuel-efficient cars, utilities and trucks continues to attract more and more new customers,” said Erich Merkle, Ford’s sales analysis manager.

“With gasoline prices tracking higher than last year, customers continue to move toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, whether they are passenger cars or utilities.”

Both the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus achieve 40 mpg highway, while the Ford Explorer brings a class leading 28 mpg highway with its new EcoBoost engine.

Ford’s smallest utility, the fuel-efficient Escape, has achieved record sales volumes this year and is America’s best selling utility vehicle.

Overall, Ford brand small cars are on pace to post an increase of more than 20 percent this year. Ford brand utilities are tracking to post more than a 30 percent gain.

Most Ford products deliver best-in-class fuel economy and provide customers with the opportunity to choose what best works for them – from EcoBoost-powered gasoline vehicles to hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electrified vehicles.

In fact, with the company’s new electrified vehicle introductions, nearly one-third of Ford’s vehicle lines in the U.S. will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012 – a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

ford-fiesta-new-car-networks

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents.

With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln.

The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/ford-sales-back-on-track/feed/ 0 Social Media Success Starts from Within http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/automotive-social-media-success/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/automotive-social-media-success/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:01:04 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=909

Creating Word-Of-Mouth Through The Creation Of Community

Creating, working with and the continued growth of smaller individual communities within the larger brand community is the best way to create word-of-mouth, both online and off. The traditional definition of community was defined as a group of interacting people living in a common location.

With the onset of the internet and web 2.0 in particular we now hear the term global community thrown around a lot, the reason being that we no longer have to be in the same location to form a community.

With that being said the new definition of community would sound more like: a group of interacting people that share a common belief, passion, preference, need or a number of other possible conditions that people can connect around and identify themselves with. It’s important to note that when I refer to the term community that I am referring to a group of people that are passionate (The Social Cause, In Search of A Higher Social Media Calling) about your brand and about spreading positive word-of-mouth about it. In other words the bigger, more passionate and engaged the community is the more business you will have.

When developing an engaged community it’s important to note that there are three types of connections that must be present in order to call your community truly engaged, or at least fully engaged and they are:

  • Employee – Community Member
  • Employee – Employee
  • Community Member – Community Member

While each of the above connections are important we are going to focus solely on the employee – community member connection in this post, after which you will have a better understanding of why it’s important and how to use it to explode the amount of people talking positively about your dealership.

It All Starts With The Face-to-Facers

By definition social networking is the process of connecting with others to create business and/or personal relationships. By and of its self people don’t feel connected with or have any desire to connect with a dealership. Which is why it’s important for the employee – community member connection to take place, it will be the foundation of your community and how you will be better able to influence word-of-mouth, thus increasing your bottom line in both sales and fixed-ops.

The best way to create a community around your dealerships brand is to first have your face-to-facers, that is the people that actually work with customer face-to-face such as your sales people and service advisers, work to develop their own community around their own personal brand. From there they feed the larger brand of the dealership by directing their community members to the dealership-wide community.

As an example both your service advisors and sales people would work to connect and build relationships with their respective customers on Facebook while at the same time referring them to like the dealerships page on Facebook. From there they would interact with their customers on both their own news-feeds/profiles and the dealerships Facebook page. As you know most dealerships have a Facebook page that they are active on but what most fail to realize is that it’s managed by some faceless individual that has no real connection or value with the people that like the page, by having employees interact using their own profiles, on the dealerships Facebook page, it creates a family-like atmosphere that people understand.

The Influence Is In The Relationship

Since I started the last two sections off with a definition I might as well do that here as well with the term relationship: A relationship is an association between two people based on some type of social commitment such as love, family, or regular business interactions.

Sounds pretty straight forward doesn’t it? It’s important to note that relationships will usually involve some level of interdependence, which means that people in relationship with each other tend to be influenced by one another, share some of the same thoughts & feelings, and engage with each other.

In fact I can say very simply that if you want to influence more word-of-mouth then you must first be in the type of influential relationship with your customers that they actually want to say positive things about you and your dealership.

Building It From Within

The best way to build a highly engaged, word-of-mouth creating dealership community is to build it from the inside-out. It’s time to take your social media marketing to the next level and integrate it into the daily processes of your day to day business. By doing that one thing you will start to see your efforts being repaid back to you tenfold. Isn’t it about time that you see a return on your social media endeavors?

Then take the time to integrate, strategize and implement it into your every day.

Here’s to your social media success!

David Johnson
ADM Social Media Editor
PersuasiveConcepts.com

######################################################

The Social Cause – In Search Of A Higher Social Media Calling

2010 brought with it main stream social media for the auto industry, some embraced it and ran with it while others (most) knocked their head against the wall wondering what they were doing wrong. 2010 was more or less a trial, a yearlong test in the field of relationship marketing, what did you learn from it? If you’re like a lot of dealers you pushed social media to the side as a failed experiment and went back to what worked, more or less.

Social media has evolved and will continue to evolve, its only constant is change and if you take the time to learn it before you tackle it then you will be behind the moment you start. But, if you harness the human element of social media and stop trying so hard to learn the ever evolving tools, then you are well on your way to building a true social business, one that even the oldest school car dealer can get behind, grasp and run with.

In the beginning social media was seen as an extension of traditional advertising, as a way to get your marketing message heard by even more people, but that quickly fizzled out as you learned that people considered what you were doing as spam and only served to hurt your dealerships reputation. As time progressed you learned that the less you pitch, the more you sell. You learned that in order to build a social following that you needed to engage your online community in other ways, besides just your inventory.

Building A Purpose-Driven Community

Building an online community around the dealerships brand will often lead to failure, as participation is mainly driven by advertising dollars and costly promotions. I’m not taking anything away from this type of “community marketing” because it’s often the best way to get things moving along in the right direction, but what happens if you stop doing promotions ? That’s right, participation stops as well.

By anchoring your social initiatives in something larger than your brand, a higher calling, you drive community participation through passion. By building a purpose-driven community you create a common bonding point between the dealership and it’s community, this is the surest way for community growth, participation, and an increase in ROI (return on influence).

The appeal to a higher calling builds organic growth that unites employees and communities behind a common cause that’s larger than both the dealership and its community members. The higher calling can be a shared passion, a way of life or a cause, as long as it’s something that people can rally behind and feel like their part of.

As an example let’s talk about Metro Honda of Union County and their recent initiative to help fight hunger in their community. Wal-Mart, during their Fighting Hunger campaign, put up $1.5 Million to be donated among the top 6 communities with the most support. $1 Million to number 1 and $100,000 to the next five communities. During that time Metro Honda created videos, sent out emails and engaged their Facebook fans in order to get them to “like” their community. During this time they saw a tremendous increase in their post views, and daily active users.

A lot of dealerships fall into the trap of looking at their “likes” as a gauge as to how well their doing on Facebook, when the best stat to look at is their daily and monthly active users. During the Fighting Hunger campaign Metro Honda saw an increase in their Daily Active Users (people consuming their content) from an average of about 200 per day to over 1000, with their daily post views going from around 5,000 per day to upwards of 25,000! Now that the campaign is over they are still seeing double the number of daily active users and post views than was the case before the campaign begun. That’s the power of a purpose-driven community.

Finding Your Purpose

It’s important when finding a purpose that it’s aligned with who or what the dealership is. It’s important that the cause be the focus and that community members don’t start to think that the only reason you are pushing that specific cause, way or life or passion is because you are trying to earn more business. While that is most certainly the case, don’t approach it with that thought in mind. Instead just give, promote and grow the higher calling. I know that sounds counterintuitive, especially since marketing is all about pushing the dealerships agenda but if you spend your resources pushing fighting hunger, as an example, then you create a bonding point between the dealership and the community. It’s that bonding point that will spur organic growth and create good will.

Going forward, 2011 will see the rise of the human business and dealerships will be wise to approach social media this way or they run the risk of going by the way of the dinosaur. We are in the midst of a relationship economy and more and more people are putting emphasis on what others are saying, what others are thinking and what businesses are part of. Keep in mind that there is more to a dealership than the brick and mortar building, the lot, and the inventory, there are also people, people that make up the business and its the connection between those people and the community that will drive the dealership to new heights in the new year.

Starting today it’s time to redeveloped the core message of your dealership. Make it something community oriented, something that people can rally behind and become part of, something bigger and more grand than all of those involved, an ideal that goes beyond selling cars, beyond selling service and F&I products and becomes part of what people are passionate about.

David Johnson

Digital Marketing Strategist

Blog: PersuasiveConcepts.com

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/automotive-social-media-success/feed/ 0 Chevrolet Volt – Customer Satisfaction Initiative http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/chevrolet-volt-customer-satisfaction/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/chevrolet-volt-customer-satisfaction/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:43:15 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=901

GM Builds on Battery Safety to Ensure Confidence in Chevrolet Volt

Posted by Dealer in News

DETROIT – General Motors announced Monday initiatives for customer satisfaction and battery safety research to ensure ongoing confidence in the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle.

  • Customer safety, satisfaction remain highest priority
  • Volt owners offered alternative GM vehicle loans for peace of mind
  • Senior GM engineering team to work with NHTSA on possible changes

Chevrolet Volt - New Car Networks

The initiatives follow six months of research and testing in the United States with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration designed to induce electric vehicle battery failure after severe crash situations.

The agency advised GM on Friday that it would open a preliminary evaluation of Volt battery assemblies after NHTSA test results caused electrical fires up to three weeks after an initial vehicle New Car Assessment Program side pole crash test.

Mark Reuss, president, GM North America, said the company would take every precaution to assure the driving public of GM’s commitment to the safety of the Volt being handled after a severe incident and the total satisfaction of everyone who owned one.

“The Volt is a five-star safety car.  Even though no customer has experienced in the real world what was identified in this latest testing of post-crash situations, we’re taking critical steps to ensure customer satisfaction and safety,” Reuss said.

“Our customers’ peace of mind is too important to us for there to be any concern or any worry. This technology should inspire confidence and pride, not raise any concern or doubt.

“The question is about how to deal with the battery days and weeks after a severe crash, making it a matter of interest not just for the Volt, but for our industry as we continue to advance the pursuit of electric vehicles.”

Senior GM engineering investigation team

Mary Barra, senior vice president, Global Product Development, said GM had established a senior engineering team to develop changes to eliminate concern of potential post-crash electrical fires and work with industry to ensure appropriate electric vehicle protocols were in place. Barra said such electrical fires had not occurred on public roads and NHTSA was not investigating any such potential imminent failure on the roads.

“GM and the agency’s focus and research continue to be on the performance, handling, storage and disposal of batteries after a crash or other significant event,” she said.

“We’re working with NHTSA so we all have an understanding about these risks and how they can be avoided in the future.  This isn’t just a Volt issue.  We’re already leading a joint electric vehicle activity with Society of Automotive Engineers and other automotive companies to address new issues, such as this protocol of depowering batteries after a severe crash.”

Barra said the team would continue to work closely with NHTSA, suppliers, dealers and manufacturing teams to initiate any necessary changes as soon as possible.

Volt owner loan program

Reuss said GM would establish a Volt owner satisfaction program.  Any Volt owner concerned about safety can contact his or her Volt advisor to arrange for a free GM vehicle loan until resolution of the issue.

“A vehicle loan program of this nature is well beyond the norm for a preliminary investigation, and it underlines our commitment to the vehicle and its owners,” he said.  “These steps are the right ones to take regardless of any immediate impact on our operations.”

Launched in late 2010, the Chevrolet Volt has won more than 30 awards in the United States and other markets.  The Volt achieved a five-star NCAP overall vehicle score for safety by the NHTSA and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  GM carried out more than 1 million test miles in vehicle development.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.  GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling.

More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/chevrolet-volt-customer-satisfaction/feed/ 0 The Boston 2012 Toyota Launch Event http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/2012-toyota-launch-event/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/2012-toyota-launch-event/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:20:17 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=870

Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston would like to invite you to a very special event on Thursday, November 17 at 6 PM!

We will be unveiling the all new 2102 Toyota Camry, the 2102 Prius V and the 2102 Yaris and showcasing the innovative technologies that these incredible vehicles are bringing to the market.

Please come join us for food, catered by GOURMET CATERERS, drinks sand the chance to win and iPad 2, all for a good cause.

Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Great Boston Food Bank, and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win and iPad 2.

You must be present to win, so mark your calendars and prepare to be blown away by the next generation of Toyota vehicles.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP!

Toyota Boston

 Official Press Release:

Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston Hosts the “2012 Toyota Launch Event” in Benefit of the Greater Boston Food Bank

Boston’s leading Toyota dealership invites the community to join them for an evening of surprises as they unveil all-new 2012 models.

Boston, MA – November 11, 2011: Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston (www.herbchamberstoyotaofboston.com) is proud to unveil its impressive lineup of 2012 models in a celebration that will treat guests to gourmet hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and the chance to win an iPad 2.

The event will take place on Thursday, November 17th, at 6 p.m., featuring the all new 2012 Toyota Camry, 2012 Prius V and 2012 Yaris. Vehicle specialists will also showcase the innovative technologies that these incredible vehicles are bringing to the market, including 44 MPG Hybrid Synergy Drive, the JBL Synthesis Premium Sound System, Smart Key Technology, and the all-new Entune Infotainment System, which gives drivers access to Bing’s advanced search engine technology, Pandora radio, and real time info that includes traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports and stocks.

In their continued efforts to end hunger in the community, Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston invites guests to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Greater Boston Food Bank (www.gbfb.org), and with this simple donation, guests will be entered in the iPad 2 giveaway.

In addition to introducing the 2012 Camry, Prius V and Yaris to Boston drivers, Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston is making it easy to take one home. The dealership is offering deep discounts, like $149 per month lease on Yaris, and $199 per month lease on Camry, to approved customers.

The “By Invitation Only” event requires guests to RSVP at www.HerbChambersToyotaLaunch.com.

About Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston: Located at 32 Brighton Avenue in Boston, Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston offers New England drivers an impressive selection of new and pre-owned Toyota vehicles, along with the world-class buying experience that is guaranteed from all Herb Chambers stores. For more information, please visit www.HerbChambersToyotaofBoston.com, or call 877-906-1652.

RSVP TODAY!:  www.HerbChambersToyotaLaunch.com

 

]]> http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/2012-toyota-launch-event/feed/ 0 2012 Ford Focus Electric http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/2012-ford-focus-electric/ http://newcarnetworks.com/2011/2012-ford-focus-electric/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:36:28 +0000 admin http://newcarnetworks.com/?p=857

Ford Opens Reservations for 2012 Focus Electric

Posted on November 2nd, 2011 by Dealer in News

SEATTLE, WA. – Starting today, drivers that want to go completely gasoline-free will be able to configure the all-new 2012 Ford Focus Electric online at Ford.com and place their orders with a Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) dealer.

  • 2012 Focus electric is Ford’s first all-electric, 100% gas-free, passenger car and the first of five planned electrified vehicles
  • Ford Certified EV dealers in California and New York/New Jersey markets will begin taking first orders for the 2012 Focus Electric

“Today is an historic day, as Ford opens up the order banks for the company’s first full production, all-electric passenger vehicle – the Focus Electric,” said Chad D’Arcy, Focus Electric Marketing Manager, Ford Motor Company. “The all-new Focus Electric is an important part of Ford’s overall strategy, bringing still another option to customers who want a car that is fun-to-drive, easy to own and fully electric.”

Drivers interested in learning more about the 2012 Focus Electric will be able to see detailed product specs and virtually build and price one at a dedicated online website:http://www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/ starting Wednesday.
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Focus Electric comes standard with: MyFord Touch with 8-inch touchscreen; two driver-configurable 4.2-inch color LCD displays in cluster for unique EV driving screens; MyFord™ Mobile App (for remotely monitoring and scheduling battery charging with owners’ smartphone as well as remote start); HID Headlamps; 17-inch aluminum wheels, ambient lighting, seats made from 100-percent recycled material; Rear Camera with Rear Parking Sensor; Intelligent Access with Push-Button Start; MyKey®; voice-activated Navigation System; Particulate Air Filter; hands-free SYNC® Bluetooth telephone connectivity with Traffic, Direction and Information Services; electronic traction control; Sony®-Branded audio with nine speakers; SIRIUS® Satellite Radio and HD Radio™.
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The only options on well-equipped Focus Electrics are leather seats and two paint colors.
“Ford believes driving electric doesn’t mean consumers should have to sacrifice on driving experience or vehicle quality,” said D’Arcy. “The Focus Electric comes with more standard features than any other comparable all-electric vehicle.”
In addition to silently cruising past gas stations, Focus Electric drivers will never need oil changes or any of the other service required on gasoline engines. Focus Electric exclusively stores energy in an advanced lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack uses liquid-cooling to help ensure a long-life and optimal performance under all weather and driving conditions.
The Focus Electric’s battery can be recharged in just over three hours using a 240-volt charging station, about half the charging time of the 2012 Nissan Leaf. Drivers also can top off the battery any standard 120-volt outlet using the included charging cord.
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The online site also provides potential customers the ability to find the location of their nearest Ford Certified EV dealer so they can place their order.
A limited number of Focus Electrics will first be available in California and the New York/New Jersey regions. Availability of the Focus Electric will expand next year to the remaining 15 launch markets as production ramps up.
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The 19 launch markets include: Atlanta, Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Orlando, Fla., Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va., Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
Markets were chosen based on several criteria, including commuting patterns, existing hybrid purchase trends, utility company collaboration and local government commitment to electrification.

Power of choice

Electrification is an important piece of Ford’s overall product sustainability strategy, which includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and will launch the all-new Focus Electric later this year. In 2012, these models will be joined in North America by the new C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. This diverse range of electrified vehicles allows Ford to meet a variety of consumer driving needs.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visitwww.ford.com.
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