Blog

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

*updated August 10, 2021

Thinking about selling auto parts online for the first time? Online parts sales are growing steadily year over year, and this growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Right now consumers are becoming more accustomed to buying parts and accessories online. Fortunately, the tools for selling parts and accessories online have never been better.

Still, while it's a great time to start selling parts and accessories online, it's also difficult for new e-commerce retailers to get established. If this is the first time you’re looking for an auto parts e-commerce platform, there are some things you can do to maximize your odds of success and avoid common mistakes.

It was the 1970s in a suburban neighborhood in Shelby, North Carolina. Preschool paleontologist hopeful, James Brooks, was pouring over his newest dinosaur book from the local library when his highly detailed young mind zeroed in on it. National Geographic had clearly, unapologetically illustrated a dinosaur’s hand in the improper position and with too many fingers.

James couldn’t stand for it.

With AutoNation Ford’s service directors gathered around the table, a new venture of customizing vehicles with aftermarket accessories was introduced. Within weeks, Insignia Group created customization for AutoNation’s aftermarket focus, AutoGear. Employees were trained, pricing was determined, and a carefully laid process was ready for action. The dealer’s service and parts director, David Bartalis, was ready for anything--but not everyone was on board.

“The initial response was a mixed bag,” David remembers. “Some associates were excited, some were concerned. Many were programmed to believe if you work at a dealer, you should only put factory parts into the vehicle we service and sell. When we launched the program, some employees were worried about not using factory parts--but we knew from day one we were going to make this successful.”