A knowledgeable and successful friend of mine and I were discussing prosperous organizations versus, well, not so successful ones (i.e. Marriott vs Ramada). We reviewed obvious differences we all experience such as employee attitudes, facility appear

Twenty years ago, branding and marketing decisions were easy. Think about it: Who bought your radio and television advertising? Who approved and often appeared in your commercials and print ads? Who approved your outdoor signage? If you were a single

Negative and intentionally false online comments In 2010 dealers spent more on online advertisements than print media. The explanation is simple: Greater than three-fourths of new-vehicle buyers (79%) use the Internet during the shopping process.  H

For decades, I have (and still do) participated in, observed, run, trained and delegated various meetings. From my ongoing experience in the field, far too many “meetings” are either the “Coffee is for Closers!” fear based attempts to maximiz

Which is harder: knowing or doing? Almost everyone understands that “doing” is harder than “knowing.” I agree, but the first step in the knowing/doing process must be, by necessity, “knowing.” It is the height of absurdity to demand that

The only tattoo I have is the scar from a smallpox vaccination I received when I was ten. Everyone in school received the vaccination. Everyone has the scar tattoo to prove it. These vaccinations were apparently mandated by a governmental agency whic

In last month’s article, I opened with the thought that one of the reasons salespeople fail to make a connection with online customers is the continued use of outdated responses to shopper questions and concerns. These responses fail to influence c

Of the 20 books I’ve read on advertising in the past year, two stand out as must reads for anyone involved in dealership marketing. The first is “Cashvertising” by Drew Eric Whitman, published in 2009 by Career Press. Whitman has taught the psy

“Sourcing mode” is a term that applies to those that are always shopping for a great price, and are always adding new suppliers that have the latest and greatest pricing for the supply or service they are responsible for buying. Sometimes your te