Blog

Old Dog Young Dog Same Trick

Posted by Jason Ludwig on Feb 22, 2019 2:30:00 PM

As an Insignia VPE, I do a lot of training during my guided visits.  I emphasize the same lesson when training associates with proven success and those who have never presented Vehicle Personalization before: consistency of presentation.  To be victorious you have to show up first.

I don’t care what kind of experience you’ve had with the customer. Make a Vehicle Personalization presentation! According to industry statistics, 9/10 of your customers WILL personalize their vehicle within 90 days of purchasing it with anything from fuzzy dice to a truck cap. Why not offer them all the opportunity to integrate it into their purchase?

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Topics: Sales Best Practices, Customer Retention, Improve CSI, Increase Profits, Customer Success, accessories, Showroom, staff, sales team, sales, Educate, customers, F&I, Best Practice, service, Insignia Group, configurator, increase sales

3 Ways To Put Your Preload Program To Work For You

Posted by Whitney Williams on Feb 13, 2019 12:15:00 PM

In a fictional study never performed, 100% of dealers admitted their preloading program was one of their biggest factors hindering them from selling accessories in the showroom.

Jokes aside, this really is a common theme that dealers are often getting snagged on.  We all know that vehicle personalization is a multi-billion dollar industry, but with popular vehicles preloaded on the lot and showroom floor, dealers shy away from bringing up additional add-ons to their customer. The result? The customer just buys what they need somewhere else.

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Topics: Accessories System, Sales Best Practices, Customer Retention, Word Tracks, Reducing Turnover, Increase Profits, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, staff, sales, accessory program, Best Practice, drive, Accessories sales, Insignia Group, Land Rover, Jaguar, increase sales, we-owe, preload

Use Google To Figure Out Which Car Accessories To Offer

Posted by Jason Lancaster on Jan 8, 2019 1:15:00 PM

In a previous post, we talked about using Google Trends and Instagram hashtag searches to determine which accessories are most popular with vehicle owners. In this post, we'll talk about using data from Google Ads to make decisions about specific products to offer, learn which brands consumers prefer, and more.

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Topics: Word Tracks, Vehicle Personalization, sales, millennials, eCommerce, Best Practice, success, creative, reatailers, content

Learn How Dealers Can Leverage YouTube To Sell Accessories

Posted by Jason Lancaster on Dec 27, 2018 9:00:00 AM

YouTube offers tremendous opportunities for dealers. By observing a few Internet video best practices, you can promote vehicles, sell accessories, and build a fan base from this one platform. Here are two examples of auto dealers that promote vehicles and sell accessories with video that we can all learn from.

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Topics: Sales Best Practices, Customer Retention, Increase Profits, Marketing, Toyota, Dealership, Subaru, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, Luther Brookdale, Adventure Subaru, creative, content, social media, YouTube

Meet Your Configurator Crew

Posted by Whitney Williams on Dec 11, 2018 11:45:00 AM

It’s hard to imagine it now, but there were once dim days in the world of configurable assets. Dedicated salesmen and women persevered, selling accessories at the point of sale with little more than a digital catalog at their fingertips. Customers closed their eyes and tried hard to imagine roof racks on their new car or truck.

Taking a leap of faith, customers added said roof racks to their cart and gazed out into the sunset over a looming stack of paper we-owes, just imagining. A tumbleweed rolled by as coffee was delivered via cart and donkey. Yes, they were desolate days.

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Topics: Accessories System, Questions, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, Showroom, staff, relationships, configurator

3 ways to personalize your personalization catalogue

Posted by Whitney Williams on Dec 6, 2018 11:45:00 AM

Our “have it your way” society is hungry for more monogram stickers, a broader array of window tint options, engines that purr in another language, and decoupage. Dealer principals all over America are behind closed doors pouring over staggering statistics about vehicle personalization. Some laugh with delight, others cry at the seemingly insurmountable behemoth.

Whether you find joy or sorrow in the multi-billion dollar “uniquely mine” industry, one thing remains true: this consumer trend isn’t going away. So how can a dealer effectively keep climbing a mountain that’s still growing? Stay active, grasshopper.

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Topics: Accessories System, Sales Best Practices, Improve CSI, Increase Profits, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, sales team, Accessories sales, online catalog, increase sales

One simple step to fattening your budget for gross profit in 2019

Posted by Whitney Williams on Nov 21, 2018 10:00:00 AM

As the fiscal year begins to wrap up, dealer management is looking forward to a new year, new budget strategy, and shiny new numbers all in black. There’s not a dealer from here to Malaysia (beyond Malaysia, who knows) that’s not shooting for more profit in the subsequent year. The mantra we’re trying to get our dealer’s to follow in this season of new beginning is cease striving. You already have everything you need to increase gross profit for your store.

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Topics: Educate, customers, Best Practice, success, service, relationships, Accessories sales, tips, creative, graphics, configurator, increase sales, content

Using Content To Acquire Customers Online

Posted by Jason Lancaster on Nov 15, 2018 11:00:00 AM

When it comes to marketing your accessories business online, content is king. Whether you have an off-road or performance shop looking to grow your local accessories business, or a dealership trying to increase new car buyer accessories sales, content is key to your marketing goals.

In this article, we want to share some successful content marketing strategies that are designed to boost visits to your website via organic search. However, the content described below will also help you market your business on social media, and give you some great info to share in an email newsletter.

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Topics: Marketing, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, staff, sales team, sales, seasonal, Millenials, accessories installations, Best Practice, success, relationships, Accessories sales, tips, creative, configurator, increase sales, content, social media

4 Ways to Profit From Personalization

Posted by Whitney Williams on Nov 5, 2018 1:00:00 PM

Accessorizing at the point of sale taps into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Individualism is growing like kudzu and there’s no place for a well-meaning base model to hide. In our “have it your way” society, there are over 30 shades of white paint selections for your new bathroom, a monogram for everything you own, and one too many shows dedicated to making a consumer’s house “more you.”

Automotive is no exception with vehicle personalization clocking in as a $200 billion dollar industry (plus or minus a few billion, but who’s counting?). In 2018 there’s not a dealership in the country, from corporate mega complex to mama and papa’s discount Ford store, that can afford to ignore personalization and we’re here to help you pull this thing off.

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Topics: Improve CSI, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, accessory program, F&I, drive, relationships, Accessories sales, tips, configurator, online catalog, increase sales, we-owe

Best Practice: Eliminating Paper We-Owe

Posted by Whitney Williams on Oct 22, 2018 11:30:00 AM

The we-owe document is a staple of the automotive world. This invaluable document originated out of a need to protect both dealer and customer, but stacks of paper documents leave both parties wanting.

Documentation is the key to professionalism and protection, so why take any risks when it comes to such an important step in the sale? Effectively protecting the dealership’s interest and providing that same comfort for your client saves time and confusion for all involved.

It’s time to bury the paper we-owe for good.

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Topics: Accessories System, Customer Retention, Improve CSI, Process Training, Dealership, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, Educate, customers, eCommerce, Best Practice, success, Accessories sales, configurator, online catalog, increase sales, we-owe