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The Fourth of July brings its own unique set of challenges and opportunities to the dealership world. Though hitting sales goals isn’t typically targeted for the first week of the month, the upcoming July holiday is known for big business. Many dealers advertise rock bottom prices on base models to bring consumers in for the sale. It’s a tactic that’s worked for stores both big and small, regardless of brand, for years on end.

The problem with these slashed prices is the shrinking profit margin, and the fact no two customers are alike. The good news is vehicle personalization solves both. Not only will you add front end gross by selling personalization in the showroom, you’ll also cater to drivers looking for luxury, upgrades, or lifestyle accessories to fit their needs.

Any dealership can slap together an accessory program, hand out a brochure, and dangle a carrot in front of their sale staff. More than likely, you can sell a few things with this approach. There’s no doubt, after all, that people are buying accessories: simply offering the product will produce a few bucks.

Dealerships that are building million-dollar personalization profit centers in the showroom know that vehicle personalization is an art form and requires careful attention to detail. Success in selling accessories takes a carefully constructed process, which varies by things like brand and store size, to name a few. As more and more dealerships across the nation tap into the multi-billion-dollar industry of automotive accessories, the necessity of shepherding in the process climbs in demand.

What if Vehicle Personalization became the foundation of the sales process, rather than something tacked on to the end of a lengthy negotiation? That’s exactly what Insignia’s upper- Midwest expert, Kurt Daugherty, is suggesting. The dealers Kurt works with know he’s a proponent of starting with the trade, seamlessly weaving Vehicle Personalization into the conversation--and with good reason.

Automotive industry professionals all over the country can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The myth has been debunked--millennials’ supposed disdain for cars isn’t shutting down the industry as we know it.

To preload or not to preload? That is the question. Except that isn’t the only question. There are about a dozen others, including what to preload? Should we just order port-installed options? Does the dealership make any money with port-installed options? Does anyone have an Excedrin?

In recent years, the demand for certified technicians has ballooned as the number of quality workers in this field declines.  Experienced technicians are almost certainly guaranteed to find work. The technician knows it, and the dealership knows it. This creates an environment where the expert is looking for steady work to earn a good living, and the dealership is looking to provide steady work to talented people.

It would seem the flood of recall work for most brands over the last several years would fill this need. Yet recall work is redundant and, at times, not particularly challenging. Warranty work, which keeps many service bays busy, often falls in the same category. Couple these dynamics with the shortage of a talented workforce, and you’d have to ask yourself, why would anyone want to be a service manager these days?

I don't know about you, but I really like the NADA show timing so close to the beginning of the year. It feels like the right way to start the year running or hustling, with a feeling of urgency.

My perception in conversations with dealers and store managers on the show floor was a feeling that the clock is ticking and things needed to get done--a lot of things.

What if you could offer an elderly driver or the parent of a new driver an extra level of protection when they buy a car from you? Imagine the impact of revealing the driver to the outside world by a simple expression of personalization. Japan has done just that.

The digital age made us all highly opinionated. There’s just something about being behind a computer screen that’s spurred even the most introverted of consumers to share with the world their opinion, feedback, praise, complaints, and what they ate for lunch that day. Ahh, online reviews. They can build your business or destroy the Roman empire. So how can you be proactive in using what people are saying about you to make more profit?

People love to personalize. We accessorize with things we love, and in the case of a presidential election, sometimes, even with things we hate. Where else, apart from politics, can you find people customizing t-shirts, stickers, greeting cards, and more, just to promote their opposition to an individual or party? It's fascinating. Everywhere you turn, consumers are personalizing. Enter a Google search for, "Donald Trump accessories," and you'll return over 1,000,000 results. Try searching for "Hillary Clinton accessories"--over 2,000,000.