MAGAZINE LEADERS IN THE SALE OF QUALITY
PARTS
March 2009
New Orleans Hosts NADA 2009 Mopar Masters Guild Meets for 17th Consecutive Year Supporting Vendors & Mopar Convene with Guild Attendees Pages 4-18
Annual Issue Packed with Information!
In This Issue
Mike Gerber Steps Down as President Brent Hoge Assumes Office of President Bourbon St. Here We Come! OEConnection & Snap-On Business Solutions Unveil New Automotive Parts Sales Solution OEConnection Tracy Industries Reynolds & Reynolds Time & Goodyear Honor Maureen Bailey Racer’s Night - Phoenix CA Bill to Ban use of A/M Parts Creative Puns for “Educated Minds” 12 Tips on Customer Relations & Selling Sparring with a Airbag Top 10 Marketing Trends Mopar Masters Guild Committees
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Pages 27-29 Pages 30-31 Pages 34-35 Pages 36-37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Pages 42-43 Pages 44-45 Pages 46-49 Page 50
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Mike Gerber Steps Down As Mopar Masters Guild President Extreme times call for extreme measures. The company I work for decided to consolidate parts managers from our two Chrysler Jeep Dodge stores as part of a larger cost-cutting plan. I was the higher paid of the two so I was laid off March 4th. The parts manager from Town & Country Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Dave Scott, will be running both parts operations. We have recently closed four Mopar points in our market so we have an abundance of managers and not enough jobs. I have been contacted by one of the smaller Mopar parts operations and am hopeful we can work something out but the reality is I may need to switch brands. If I do switch I will do so with a lot of regrets. I faced this situation when our two stores merged in 2007. I had lined up a job with an import dealer when I got the call to come back as Parts & Service Director at CJD Bellevue. It was my relationships with the Mopar Masters Guild, the Executives from Mopar, and our supporting vendors that brought me back then. I value the national influence the Guild represents and the friends my wife and I have enjoyed for the past 11 years. The exchange of ideas, new product information from our vendors, discussions with the Mopar management team, and input from our mentor Jim Jackson that have helped me develop the number one volume Mopar parts operation in the state of Washington. Our guild meetings and performance groups have always filled me with more great ideas than I could effectively implement and I thank the many parts managers that I have benefited from knowing. I thank our vendors for sharing the products while under development for giving us a strategic advantage in the marketplace. I am sure our input helped them bring products to us that work to our mutual advantage. I thank the Executives from Mopar for allowing us to be involved in the frank discussion of the many issues facing them and helping formulate programs that work for the entire dealer body. I would also like to thank Jim Jackson for creating the Diamond Performance Group classes and facilitating the meetings of the graduates of these classes. Farewell for now with many fond memories of hard work and hard play. Sincerely, Mike Gerber
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Brent Hoge Assumes Office of the Mopar Masters Guild Presidency Mopar Masters, As many of you may or may not know there have been some changes in the leadership in the Guild. It is unfortunate for us to lose someone with the experience that Mike Gerber had, but with the strength of people that we have in the organization the Guild will continue to thrive. The Mopar Masters Guild was organized as a way for the best in the Mopar Parts business to come together and share ideas and grow our business. That purpose has not changed and with the current economic climate it is more important than ever to exchange ideas and gather ways to keep our business on a stable footing and profitable. The current Mopar Masters Guild executives have the experience and foresight to help the Guild progress. The current leadership of the Guild is committed to working with our vendors and members to help generate solutions to improve the way that we do business. I look forward to continuing our goals. Brent Hoge
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17th Annual Meeting of the Mopar Masters Guild at NADA 2009 New Orleans As we have talked about many, many times during the existence of the Mopar Masters Guild, any information that is obtained via the newsletter will not offer a complete and concise picture of what went on at our meetings. We stress the importance of attending these meetings and invite everyone who meets the Mopar Masters Club criteria to join the Mopar Masters Guild, attend these meetings and enjoy the wealth of knowledge and information that is presented. Our coverage of Vendor presentations, Mopar Executives’ presentations and Super Performance Group meetings will not reflect the entire content on what was presented.
Much has changed since our last MMG meeting in San Francisco and in today’s economic climate; chances are very good that more change is on the way. One thing that has remained constant is the Mopar Masters Guild annual meeting. Although this year’s meeting was scaled back a bit, the main theme remained the same: “The Exchange of Information by Like-Size Dealers in a Non-Competitive Environment”.
Friday, January 23rd, 2009 President Mike Gerber welcomed all in attendance and immediately covered our agenda for the next few days. We began with each attendee introducing themselves and where they were from. In attendance for NADA 2009: • Paul Allred Metrolina Chrysler Jeep Dodge • Dale Benner Allen Samuels • Roy Benner Allen Samuels Dodge (Continued on page 5)
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Steve Benoit Brent Christensen Claire Cummings Don Cushing Rick Cutaia Mike Gerber John Gilbert Steve Hofer Brent Hoge Dan Hutton Robbie Jackson Brian Joynt Phil Krueger Rick Monteiro Mike Mulkins Gerry Oakes Guillermo Nava Ole Olson Rich Schott Mark Skinner Tom Watson Marvin Windham Alan Yancey
Archer Chrysler Jeep Ken Garff West Valley CJD Go Chrysler Jeep West Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler Rick Hendrick Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Bellevue Preston Chrysler Jeep Park Chrysler Jeep Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Tom O’Brien Chrysler Salsbury’s Dodge City Power Chrysler Jeep Buerge Chrysler Jeep Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Go Chrysler Jeep West Baxter Chrysler Jeep Buerge Chrysler Jeep Elk River Chrysler Moore Chrysler Jeep Power Chrysler Jeep Dodge Performance Chrysler Jeep Dodge Don Drennen Motors Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep
On the fun side, once introductions were done, Vice President Brent Hoge presented Marvin Windham with a plaque from the 2009 Annual Sugar Bowl in which the Utah Running Utes defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide. This was followed by a rousing round of laughter. Secretary Mike Mulkins then presented the minutes from last year’s meeting in San Francisco. Steve Hofer then gave us the Treasurer’s report. One of the main subjects that were discussed was member dues. Immediately following this issue you will be receiving an invoice for your dues as an MMG member. Marv Windham than covered the MMG website with all of the updates during our change of web hosts.
The newsletter was then discussed and Mike Gerber thanked co-chairs Don Cushing, Mike Mulkins and Claire Cummings for their efforts in making the Mopar Masters Magazine a premier venue for the Guild.
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Membership committee was discussed and several new processes are in place to contact new and current Mopar Masters Club Members to solicit them to become part of the MMG. Each of the vendor chairs discussed their interactions with our supporting vendors throughout the past year.
We then took a short break to visit the spouses’ breakfast. It’s always a pleasure to see everyone and share stories and photos of events that have occurred during the past year.
Returning to Guild business discussions continued with obsolescence, Dealer Rewards Business Systems, Marketing Programs, Collision, Repair & Maintenance “off the shelf” fill rate, ARO Compliance and Service Retail just to name a few! It’s a fantastic experience to be in the same room with so many great minds presenting new innovative and different ideas.
Steve Hofer gave a short presentation on what he’s been doing to increase business. Steve has been successful by supporting local groups, ASE, ASA, etc., and participating in local car clubs which has made quite a difference in his parts sales. Steve tells us that building relationships with this group was his goal. He also uses delivery driver participation as a tool. He tracks stops per day and number of phone calls per day. These were very effective tools when sitting down with his employees to show them the amount of opportunities they have to make a positive or negative effect on all their customers. He asks his customer the question “Is there anything else in your business that I can give you?” This helps build positive reactions. Steve made the statement “be passionate about growing your business”. This opened up many other suggestions, ideas and processes currently in use by many in the room. We took a short break and upon returning moved into the Supporting Vendor Presentation portion of our meeting.
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Our first vendor was Reynolds & Reynolds. Jason Sideris, Director, Product Marketing, Fixed Operations, was the presenter. Jason was joined by Dawn Spitler, Product Planning and David Bates, Vice President, Customer Support. Reynolds & Reynolds is one of our original and long time supporting vendors of our Guild. Jason thanked the committee members who met with R & R in 2008. He then introduced Dawn who presented the product updates and enhancements with R&R. Here’s a few of those: •
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Customer change in invoicing -Your counterperson will no longer have to completely re-key the parts on a counter ticket when the customer needs to be changed. Huge time savings! Accounts Receivable Status in Invoicing -Avoid losing money with an alert that notifies the counter person that the receivable account is delinquent. Password Protection for Price Level, Pay Method and Sales Tax Code -No more unapproved “friendly” discounts. Keep the profits in the Parts Department. Option for Adding Parts on a PO to inventory -This allows dealership supplies to be receipted on a PO (2710) without being added to inventory. Deleted Personnel not shown on Counterman Productivity Report -No more confusion caused by inactive counterman #’s Option to Exclude Parts on a Return -Eliminates the effort required to manually remove parts from the new return Perform Part Number Bin Changes while Receipting Backwards Supersession Price Level Codes assigned to SPG Operation Technician Dispatching
There was much more covered by Dawn. Jason then covered the Service Sales Kit that helps increase your parts per repair order. Jason and Dawn’s presentation was followed by a Q & A session. (Continued on page 8)
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We returned after lunch to continue our vendor presentations. We welcomed Randy Emerick, Director, ADP Manufacturer Solutions & Consulting who introduced his colleagues, Chuck Cooper, Sr. Product Manager and Pat Braziel, Director, Product Marketing. ADP is another of our long time Supporting Vendors. Chuck Cooper presented two new applications from ADP. Vehicle Inspection Report can be printed on a generic form or a pre-printed factory form. It automates the inspection process with a user interface screen. Chuck then showed examples of the use of this form. The second application presented was the Self Service Center. This is a kiosk which is in pilot due out for general release this spring. Chuck tells us that this kiosk is like the ones that we see at the airport. You must have an appointment and you must be an existing customer of the dealer to use this. It allows after hours drop off. It also allows video upload so you can also use this as a marketing tool. Chuck invited everyone to stop by their convention booth to see these products more closely. Pat Braziel gave us her updates on “What’s new in Parts?” The list included: • • • • • • • • • •
New Replenishment Work Flow Interfaces to the new Purchase Order System Create and Assign Fees Maintain Bins Smartlaunch Cross Function Navigation New Warranty Tracking Options Enhanced Employee ID Tracking and Reporting Increased Security within Function Expanded Displays in Function 1 and Pro Pick Ticket Enhancements
Pat covered these in general and then invited everyone to stop by their booth for a more detailed view. Her presentation was followed by in-depth questioning from members. (Continued on page 9)
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Next up was one of our newest supporting vendors, Tracy Industries. David Carroll, National Sales Manager, was joined by John Detrude, District Sales Manager to give us a presentation of their company. David told us of Tracy Industries start in 1943 and their history to date. One of Tracy’s most important Operating Principles is that Tracy will not compete with their customers and suppliers. Their expanded focus is on distribution as they are Chrysler’s National Authorized Distributor supplying: • Gas/Diesel Engines & Service Parts (small parts) • Transmissions & Overhaul Kits • Torque Converters • Cylinder Heads Tracy Industries now has 35 National Chrysler Distribution locations. Tracy Express offers a high level of service with Hot Shot/Same Day Delivery, drop shipped directly to customers and eventually being delivered in their own branded Tracy Express Trucks. Their 2009 Sales Organization is focusing on a National Level and Dave tells us we will all be hearing from Tracy Industries very soon with exciting programs to help us move more product with training and Wholesale Sales Incentives. Dave and John then gave us an in-depth view of what Tracy Industries has been doing to increase sales throughout the country which was followed by interaction with MMG members.
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Our next supporting vendor was Snap-On Business Solutions. The Mopar Masters Guild has enjoyed a long standing relationship with Snap-On through the years. David Foutz, Director, Global Marketing and Power Sales (and jazz singer extraordinaire… more on that later) introduced Senior Product Managers David Pankow and Ken Satz . Dave Foutz invited everyone to Snap-On’s House of Blues party being held at the Bourbon Vieux, on Saturday night then turned things over to Dave Pankow. Pankow thanked the guild for their time and also for the time allowed to OEConnection during which a new product co-developed by both SnapOn Business Solutions and OEConnection would be announced. Dave gave us their mission which is to be “The Most Valued Productivity Solutions in the World!” Says Dave, “There is no other relationship that we have in the industry with dealers like this one.” (Referring to Chrysler and the Mopar Masters Guild) “We value it and that really makes a difference in the things we do!” Dave covered PAIS 4 Global EPC and some of the key enhancements which include: • Online Updates: Weekly (catalog, data, VIN, supersession, etc.) • Added 4 times the supersession history content • Improved filtering capabilities • TSB # search • Email feedback with “moment in time” screen capture • Configurable user notes capability at the parts search, within a vehicle or everywhere the part is found • Global Content available Pankow thanked the pilot dealers for their valued input that helped shape and continue to shape PAIS 4. Dave then touched on the EASy Application with the obvious goal of helping us sell (Continued on page 11)
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more accessories. Some of the EASy key features: • Current Accessories Data provided by Chrysler • Accessorizer – view accessories on the vehicle • List of most popular accessories by vehicle • Create your own list of accessories by vehicle • Manage prices for parts and labor • Add your own parts to EASy • User added notes Future considerations include: • Dealership web integration – your accessories, your prices, your dealership website • More images – working with Chrysler • More accessory parts for the accessorizer – working with Chrysler • Front/back view of the vehicle • Colorize the vehicle • E-commerce – sell accessories online Several attendees offered their success stories with the EASy Application during the question and answer portion of the presentation. Pankow then invited everyone to the Snap-on booth at the Convention Center and the Mopar booth where he would have displays and live set-up of the application.
Taking the floor next was Jim Rose, VP of Sales from OEConnection. OEC has been a supporting vendor for many years and the MMG has seen many changes made by OEC that has helped us increase our parts business. Mr. Rose thanked all of us for our time and the opportu(Continued on page 12)
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nity to share a new program called RepairLink/More that OEC and Snap-on have developed together. Jim was very excited to preview this program for us. Mr. Rose did stress that the discussions and input from the MMG was an integral part of the development of this program. Dave Foutz of Snap-on announced the partnership between OEC and Snap-on which is the first time their companies have worked together to create an application. The intention is to level the playing field for OEM’s and franchised dealers to compete against Aftermarket suppliers for mechanical and replacement parts sales. The strengths of these companies combined can revolutionize the sales of mechanical parts to independent shops. This was followed by a supportive round of applause. The application is actually one solution with two faces: • •
RepairLink: online order processing solution for dealers More: online parts ordering for independent shops
Foutz gave us statistical information showing us the major opportunities that we have in the mechanical arena. Dave then introduced Mark Tomasetti, VP and GM Collision Solutions who told us how the RepairLink/More will help us sell more mechanical parts. This application offers the ease of its use by both the dealers (who already exist in the CollisionLink environment) and the independent shop (which is already familiar with online ordering). Mark invited everyone to their booth for a live demonstration and told us to look for a product launch with all makes coverage in May, 2009. Mark then brought us all up to date with OEC’s Collision Business Unit. He gave us the 2008 highlights concerning dealer growth and marketplace traction. The 2009 Product Roadmap includes the all new CollisionLink 5.0. This update has a whole new look and feel and has been streamlined for ease of use. Mark then introduced Bill Lopez, Collision Product Manager who presented CollisionLink 5.0 and Parts Marketing Program Administration.
We then adjourned for the day and prepared for our Guild Cocktail Reception.
Rather than be repetitious, I would like to defer to Claire Cummings article on Pages 20-22 of this issue for a “first time attendee” view and a great description of our now famous Guild Cocktail Reception!
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Saturday, January 24th We dedicated a good portion of the morning to discuss Guild business.
Getting back to our Supporting Vendors, Glen Franks, Director of Programs, from Full Circle Solutions gave us some ideas and advice to help increase our business. Glen says our challenge right now, with car sales down, is to make sure our current parts customers remain satisfied. Full Circle Solutions wants to work with us (dealers) to help create a budget to focus on the customers who will be needing service on their vehicles by using Full Circle’s highly successful Lead Generator Program. FCS will help us to incrementally grow our revenue while satisfying our buying base. They (FCS) will put a program in place by contacting our past service customers and Commercial Vehicle customers for both sales and service. Glen finished up by fielding questions from our group.
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Our next Supporting Vendor presentation came from Dealer Tire represented by John Bellissimo, Director Inside Sales and David Jordanger, National Sales Director. John acknowledged that everyone in the room knew of Dealer Tire so he wanted to focus on ways to help us sell more tires not just have us buy more tires. We were presented with facts and figures to help guide us towards sales opportunities. How can Dealer Tire help? Included in Dealer Tire’s Program: • Commitment to Success • Inventory Analysis • Active Inventory Management (AIM) • Inspection Process • In-Dealership Training • Goal Setting/Tracking Potential • Dealer Rewards Expertise John then turned the floor over to David Jordanger. David covered The Active Inventory Management program built by engineers to help us have a better strategy to make sure that we have product, in this case tires, on the shelf when we need them. He gave us many examples and success stories of how dealerships have dramatically increased their tire sales. Members shared a few processes that were currently working for them during the discussion portion of the presentation. (Continued on page 15)
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We took a short break getting everyone together for a group photo honoring Jim Jackson who recently retired.
Jim, Congratulations & Good Luck on your retirement! From all of us at NADA 2009 Mopar Masters Guild
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Back to presentations, the Guild then welcomed Corporate Billing, Inc. Being a long time supporting vendor, no introductions were necessary for VP’s Leif Founds and Jeff Leavitt. Jeff tells us that CBI has merged with RBC (The Royal Bank of Canada). Obviously, no one has felt the changes in the economy more than a 3rd party billing company such as CBI. These are challenging times, according to Jeff. Since everyone in the room knew CBI very well, Leif and Jeff used the remaining portion of their presentation to field questions and offered different ideas that many dealers use and also what CBI does for the dealer.
One of the most anticipated portions of the annual Mopar Masters Guild Meeting is our interaction with Mopar. This year certainly was not an exception with all of the changes that Mopar has gone through, let alone the industry itself.
Our interaction with Mopar was a very enjoyable, interesting and detailed meeting. We are being brief in our coverage. We urge all members to try very hard to make these meetings. Live interaction with Mopar Executives is invaluable.
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Jim Sassorossi Global Parts Sales & Marketing Mopar Parts
Jim Sassorossi, Global Parts Sales and Marketing, Mopar Parts, introduced himself and his team. From Mopar: Rick Majewski, Service and Parts Field Operations, Tom Gianfermi, Manager 5300 Team, Jerry Quell, 5300 Team and Supply Chain Management, Brian Rogos, Accessories and Performance, Kathy Murrenus, Sr. Manager for Service Retention and Kathy Wideman, Sr. Manager, Collision and Reman. Jim then gave us a little of his background. He started in an independent family owned (his family) tire store. A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Jim has a mechanical background with an Associate in Auto Technology. He worked his way through college as a mechanic, service writer, sold cookware and was fortunate enough when he finished college to work as a service and parts DM in Iowa. He worked in the Milwaukee zone for 14 years in different capacities. (Jim’s story continues and we will ask him if we can feature his bio in our next issue).
Jim offered his insight on the state of Chrysler LLC and the fragile automotive industry and shared an amazing amount of interesting information pertaining to the future of Chrysler. Mr. Sassorossi says, “Ideas breed off each other and we, as a group, have to find ways to get our customers back into our service departments”. Jim then went into details concerning the new CPS (Customer Promoter Score). He turned it over to Rick Majewski who took us through the changes in the Dealer Rewards Program which will be based on Sales and Loyalty. For those who could not make this meeting, details will follow. Watch for them! There was plenty of interaction between Mr. Majewski and the group. D2D was then discussed. Up next for Mopar was Tom Gianfermi who covered ARO in detail. Tom then took us through the new Return Policy. Jerry Quell then took us through the Supply Chain update. Next up was Brian Rogos with an update on Accessories and Performance. Finishing up our meeting with Mopar was Kathy Wideman with a brief update on collision and wholesale. Due to the time constraints, Kathy immediately opened the floor for brainstorming and discussions. The Mopar Masters Guild looks forward to meeting with Mopar in the very near future to keep open the lines of communication and to focus on the challenges ahead.
President Mike Gerber then thanked everyone for taking their valuable time to be part of this year’s Mopar Masters Guild Meeting and then officially adjourned the 2009 Mopar Masters Guild Meeting. (Continued on page 18)
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Most of us spent our Saturday evening as invitees to Snap-On Business Solution’s Reception at the famous Bourbon Vieux on Bourbon Street. Many of us remember this facility as our choice of venue for our Farewell Dinner a few years ago at NADA. It’s in the heart of the French Quarter and has certainly earned itself a reputation for atmosphere with its famous huge balcony. We enjoyed cocktails and conversation with friends and associates. Snap-On really did a wonderful job with food and also with the entertainment. The night featured a live Jazz band and one of the highlights of the evening was when Dave Foutz of Snap-On took to the front of the stage to serenade the audience with his renditions of a few famous jazz tunes. Great job Dave!
Members and guests then spent the remaining portion of their evening out and about in the French Quarter. Another year of sharing ideas and strategies had come to an end but you can be sure that there will be many phone calls, emails and correspondence throughout 2009.
We hope to see you all next year in Orlando for NADA 2010
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BOURBON STREET HERE WE COME Submitted by Claire Cummings Swamps, Jambalaya and Zitago music is what comes to mind when I think of New Orleans, Louisiana. Little did I know that my trip to the South would be filled with so much more? I was personally invited by the Mopar Master Guild to attend the NADA conference and Master meetings for my efforts with the past Mopar Master Magazine’s this past year. I felt honored to be a part of the week’s events and be able to see the hard work the Guild puts in to continue to drive growth in our dealerships and with Mopar. Many outsiders may think that these parts managers come to these trips to get away from work or to “party” it up, but I am witness to some of the most grueling and tedious days. Everyday starts at 7AM in a large conference room where on this trip 26 parts managers sat around a board room table to meet with vendors, discuss guild business and the big one to meet with Mopar to voice concerns, opinions and create ideas to help Mopar grow their parts business. These topics and more were discussed in a two day period ending everyday at six. Now we all remember the days of sitting in a class room or maybe recently in a meeting where you can barely keep your eyes open; these meetings aren’t like that. The Guild makes discussions very interactive encouraging everyone to speak up. Although slightly intimidated being the only female sitting in a room with 25 of the top Mopar parts dealers, it felt quite exhilarating speaking up and asking questions. I enjoyed being a part of a group that was passionate about the industry and strived each day to bring fresh new ideas to help our businesses thrive. Although the meetings wrapped up at six each day that did not mean the day was over. It continued on with the first night being a cocktail reception that the entire Mopar Master Guild, Vendors and Mopar personnel attended. The reception was held on the top floor of the Hotel Monteleone (where we were all staying). It had beautiful views of the Mississippi River where we could watch many different sizes of boats traveling through. The other side showed a top shelf view of the city streets below and many of the crazy activities that one could only see on Bourbon Street. The cocktail reception had many delicious foods, all original to Louisiana. The seafood soup, which I don’t think that is the correct name for it, (Robbie I’ll need your help on that one), was the best tasting soup I have ever had, we are talking I would move to Louisiana just for the soup, good. I don’t know if the others experienced the same thing but I have never in my life eaten so well on a trip. The food the entire time I was there was amazing, I actually asked one of the waitresses at the cocktail reception to email me recipes because I know that I can not go an entire year without some home-style Louisiana cookin. At the reception everyone was able to mingle and get to know each other better; which actually meant the Guild getting to know the new members of the Mopar team. Jim Sassorossi, the new Director of Global Parts Sales and Marketing was able to attend for some time, although busy he was able to meet and greet many of the guild members before the discussions began the next day in the conference room. Around ten-thirty the reception began to wind down, many (Gerry Oakes) heading to bed to prepare for the next days events as others were just starting another shift into the night life.
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Some of us headed down to Bourbon Street to see what this nightlife was really all about. As you step on to Bourbon Street it is colorful in many ways; decorated with the New Orleans colors of purple, green and yellow, bright beads hanging from various locationsanywhere from peoples necks to street signs. The music is loud and different on every corner, rock and roll, old school or the Louisiana Zitago. Bars and dance clubs line this infamous street and if those places aren’t full with people then you can catch the hundreds of others roaming down the middle of Bourbon Street. Another classic tradition to Bourbon Street is the people hanging over balconies throwing beads to the bystanders below. If you think Las Vegas is crazy and pushes a line, take a trip to Bourbon Street, it may make you have second thoughts. After the second full day of meetings Snap-On hosted a reception dinner that was in an upper level club on Bourbon Street. The room was filled with tons of people, great food and an amazing Jazz band that made you feel like you were truly in the heart of Louisiana. Many of the Mopar Master Guild members hung out on the infamous balconies of Bourbon Street discussing the exciting news Snap-On and OE Connect had delivered early that day. We all were discussing with many of the staff from both companies the advances that their new product would take the repair industry. (See the press conference release article in this issue). As the weekend came to an end Mike Mulkins, Steve Hofer and I were one of the few left. We had worked so hard for the past couple of days and yet had a chance to go and see the heart of Louisiana. So I decided to sign us up for a Swamp tour on an airboat. The guys were equally as excited to go as I was. We were all eager to see more of the city, and I knew I had to see at least one alligator before I left or it just wouldn’t be a real New Orleans trip. We were picked up by our shuttle driver at eight in the morning to begin our adventure to the swamp lands. Our shuttle driver was the most entertaining man I had ever met. He kept Mike, Steve and I laughing the whole trip, telling us stories about Hurricane Katrina and his “mama”, Southern women, and the reason that people honk so much while they are driving. The honking was explained to us like this; the men honk at women on the street who are walking to give them a little ego boost and these women then go home and tell their girls how many “honks” they received for the day. The driver said he could tell if a woman was from Louisiana or not by when he honked if they turned and gave him a dirty look-which would be a tourist, or if their walk perked up and they turned and smiled- that would be true Louisiana women. So as we drove to the swamp land he proceeded to honk at the ladies walking down the street, although never honking at a lady with a man standing anywhere near her or as he stated “you could lose you life, man, your asking for trouble”. After touring NADA the previous day we all knew that the number of attendees were down but when we reached our destination and our tour guide said we had been the only tourists signed up all week, it hit us how bad the turnout for the convention truly was. It was pretty cool though to have the tour guide all to ourselves, asking as many questions as we wanted taking our time in certain areas. Now if you have never been on an air boat before in your life, put it on your “bucket list”. It is so much fun and for some reason made me laugh and smile so
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much. We were flying all over the place, at times hanging on for dear life, and other times seeming as if we were going to propel the boat right up on dry land. We went through man-made swamp canals which were explained to us as being very damaging to the environment and a reason for the massive damage from Hurricane Katrina. We also went through a true bayou where we finally came across some alligators. The tour guide, Jay, said that most of the alligators were in a state of hibernation and were submerged underwater. The largest one we saw was about five feet long which was plenty big for me. Jay said that during the summer months and when the tours are filled with more people, he will actually wrestle an alligator that is anywhere from ten to eleven feet long on the boat. YES, I said on the boat, he actually makes the large, sometimes man eating animal jump on board to wrestle him, um so crazy I may just have to come back this summer! As we finished up the tour and were heading back, Jay stopped at one last place to show us more wildlife and terrain. I happened to have my back to him as he came around me with a baby alligator in his hand that was abruptly thrown over my shoulder and in my face. I have never in my life jumped so far, throwing Steve Hofer out of the way. After calming down slightly our tour guide showed us how to hold the baby alligator and pet her. We all did it and she would actually make the sweetest noise. She would close her eyes as she was being caressed and making loud purring noise, similar to something like a larger cat would make. I was glad that the three of us had decided to take the tour because it gave an overview of the bayou and some of the highlights Louisiana is known for. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to attend this trip as I know the economy is not in a state it once was. It was great to learn from an elite group of parts managers and have the chance to spend the time with many of them. Some of my fondest memories from the trip are the Guild dinner watching grown men place bibs around their necks as they ate the jumbo Louisiana style shrimp. As well as one of the nights sitting in our hotel lounge with Brent, Mike, Steve, Gerry and Roy picking their brains on how they became so successful, as I was taking notes on a Napkin. That is one Napkin that will never be thrown away! Their stories are inspiring to me, as they challenge me to become better in my own career. Once again I want to say Thank You so much to the amazing group of Mopar Masters, you all gave me an experience I will never forget and one that has inspired me in more ways than you all will ever know.
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NADA 2009 Memories More pictures will be featured on the Mopar Masters Guild Website www.moparmastersguild.com Guild Reception
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Snap-On Reception
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Our Supporting Vendors Support those who support you
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Our Supporting Vendors Support those who support you
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TIME AND GOODYEAR HONOR MAUREEN BAILEY Maureen Bailey, President of Bailey’s Motor Sales, Inc., a Chrysler-Dodge dealership in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, was honored at the recent NADA Convention in New Orleans for her nomination for the 2009 TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year award. Bailey was one of a select group of dealers from across the country honored at the 92nd annual convention. The TIME award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted awards for new car dealers. Recipients are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers, but they must also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to effective community service. Bailey was one of only 49 automobile dealers, from more than 19,500 nationwide, nominated for the 40th annual award. The award is sponsored by TIME Magazine in association with Goodyear, and in cooperation with NADA. A panel of faculty members from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan selects each finalist. A second-generation dealer who succeeded both her father and brother in running the family business, Bailey says, “In 80 years of being in the same location, I’m still selling to families that my father and brother sold to.” When Bailey was 10, her father thought she “needed something to do, so I started out writing postcards to customers,” she said. “As I got older, I learned how to file, then during my high school years, I was typing deals.” Except for a short period after high school, she has been in the family business her entire adult life. “My career with my brother continued for 32 years and in that time he purchased three more dealerships.” But after her brother died in 2001, Bailey eventually sold two dealerships and combined the Dodge and Chrysler operations. Today the family legacy lives on in Bailey’s daughter and granddaughter who both work part-time at the dealership where it all started with Bailey’s father in 1928. Reflecting the dealership’s longevity, Bailey has been deeply involved in the local community, supporting a host of civic, athletic and service organizations. Bailey’s has sponsored two local Little League teams for 40-plus years, North Kingstown Soccer for more than a quarter century, and, for nine years, a golf tournament benefiting Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island. “For many years we have donated to the local food bank, adopted families at Christmas, raised money for Make-A-Wish and Special Olympics,” says Bailey. Maureen Bailey lives in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, with her husband, Leo Lemoi. The couple has a daughter and two grandchildren.
Reprinted from RIADA New (Rhode Island Automobile Dealers Association) Submitted by Don Cushing
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Racer’s Night – Phoenix Well, the wonderful economy has hit the drag racing business too. There are many drivers such a Melanie Troxel, “Hot Rod” Fuller, Hillary Will, and Dave Connelly just to name a few that have no sponsorship for the 2009 season. As you may know the Chrysler Parts Guild here in Phoenix has hosted a “Racer’s Night” dinner for many years and the event has become a staple of February when the Drag Races are in town. We have always had fantastic participation from Mopar allowing us access to drivers the Thursday night before they start racing. Again, this year Don Shumacher Racing Public Relations Director, LuAnn Bishop, was on the ball when contacted by the Guild President, Mark Skinner. She offered to get Ron Capps, the new guy Matt Hagen, and “Fast Jack” Beckman to the meeting. She has always been a great friend of the Guild doing anything she can to help us get things together. Economy strikes again. We have always had over 100 people attend the dinner meeting to show our support for Mopar and the drivers but this year we only had 35 responses. We needed a minimum of 50 to have a banquet room so it was not to be. On Wednesday I decided to email Allen Johnson, who is a great down to earth kind of guy, asking if he had any plans for dinner the next night to meet with a few of us. To my surprise he said no he did not have plans and would like to meet for dinner. As soon as I got his answer I got in touch with Mark Skinner and Rick Humphrey who is the Guild secretary/treasurer, to see if they were interested and they both said heck yes! I brought my wife, Jill, and two daughters, Danica (15 and race attendee for 10 years) & Ashlyn (10 – race attendee for 3 years), a huge race fan and very good friend Greg Morrison with me. Mark, Rick and one of Rick’s technicians met with Allen and had a great time. We sat at a table for eight – which is much more personal than the 100 plus at a meeting. Allen was very open by answering all of our questions from sponsorship to expenses to what he does after the season is over to unwind. We all had a fantastic time and appreciated the time he was able to spend with us. The unfortunate part was that Allen was eliminated on Sunday early on but…… Mopar had a winner with Ron Capps winning his second race of the season. We had a fun weekend as usual at the 25th annual Phoenix races watching the great racing, walking around and talking with all the drivers like Erica Enders, Roger Brodgon, Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, Larry Morgan, of course Allen Johnson, and enjoying the cold draft beer and junk food too. Hats off to all the Mopar drivers this season and we wish them all the best this season. Submitted By: Dan Murphy
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California Bill Will Ban Insurer Use of Non-Certified Aftermarket Parts California Senator Leland Yee introduced a new piece of legislation that would ban insurers from using non-certified aftermarket parts and create the legal presumption that all aftermarket parts certified by CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association) are of like kind and quality to the original equipment manufacturer parts they are replacing. Existing law allows an insurer to require the use of non-OEM crash parts as long as the insured is advised in writing before repairs are made that aftermarket crash parts will be used. Senate Bill 350, introduced on Wednesday, would change the law to prohibit an insurer from requiring the use of any non-OEM parts "unless the aftermarket crash parts are at least of like kind and quality to the part being replaced in terms of fit, function, and finish." The legislation adds that aftermarket parts will be presumed to be "at least of like kind and quality" if they are certified by an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recognized entity. That means CAPA. CAPA's product certification system is not accredited by ANSI, but CAPA is recognized by ANSI as a Standards Developer. Jack Gillis, executive director of CAPA, said that the bill is not an outright prohibition on the use of non-certified aftermarket crash parts. "SB350 only impacts insurance claims. The 'do-it-yourselfer' or those consumers who choose not to file an insurance claim are free to use any part they want," said Gillis. Gillis said the bill is "designed to protect consumers from poor quality aftermarket crash parts and overpriced repair costs." CAPA says that while competitive crash repair parts help reduce the cost of crash repairs, quality can be compromised if there is no uniform standard of quality upon which to measure the quality of these parts. California Autobody Association Executive Director David McClune noted that this bill is similar to previous measures introduced in recent years, all of which have failed: AB 1163 (Yee); AB 1483 (Carter); and AB 2825 (Carter). McClune said, "These measures have one way or another attempted to declare that certified crash parts are equal to original equipment crash parts, when in fact they are not. This type of legislation does nothing to improve the quality and safety of aftermarket crash parts nor does it do anything to help consumers when repairing their vehicles. We hope that the author and sponsor will drop the bill and sit down and work with consumers, auto repair shops, and insurers to come up with a solution to improve the quality and safety of aftermarket crash parts." The measure also adds additional language that would expand the legal liability for anyone knowingly involved in the installation of a previously deployed airbag. Reprinted from www.Collisionweek.com
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CREATIVE PUNS FOR 'EDUCATED MINDS' 1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference . He acquired his size from too much pi. 2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian . 3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still. 4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption. 5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work. 6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. 7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering. 8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart. 9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie. 10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. 11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it. 12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization. 13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, "You stay here; I'll go on a head." 14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me. 15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: "Keep off the Grass." 16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, "No change yet." 17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. 19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large. 20. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran. 21. A backward poet writes inverse. 22. In democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes. 23. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion. 24. Don't join dangerous cults: Practice safe sects!
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12 Tips on Customer Relations and Selling Principle 1: Always Sell to People This may seem obvious, but it cannot be emphasized enough: You are not selling to an organization or to a conglomerate, but to actual, real people. It is important to remember that all people are different, so you cannot sell the same way to everyone. Second, no two sales are the same, even if they are made to the same company under similar circumstances. To become a good salesperson, it isn't enough to know how to sell. You must aim to become a people expert. It may sound shocking, but the best professional salespeople actually like people! Remember, people buy from people -- they always will.
Principle 2: You Have To Sell Yourself Just as you are selling to people, you must also remember that you are not only selling and representing a product or service, but you are in effect selling yourself. When beginning a sales relationship, it is important to remember a few key aspects to representing yourself well. First, be interesting. If potential customers are bored by you, they have less of a chance of being enthralled by any product or service you are representing. Develop intellect. Of course, you are an intelligent person, but can you converse in an intelligent manner? Can you discuss related subjects with thoughtfulness and hold your clients' interest? Never be arrogant -- never talk up or down to your potential clients. It's rude and will serve only to alienate them. Respect the buyer, and they will respect you. Along the same lines, develop your empathy levels. If you can relate to your customers' situations authentically, it helps to build rapport. Finally, control your ego levels. A good salesperson is patient and respectful, not an egomaniac.
Principle 3: You Must Ask Questions A good salesperson knows what questions to ask, and when. Develop your questioning techniques, always remembering the traditional rules of questioning: What? Where? When? Which? Why? Who? And how? Continually test your understanding of the situation by asking questions and verifying that everybody's on the right track.
Principle 4: Listen To Understand Remember, God has given us two ears and one mouth; we should use them in that order! Successful sales professionals talk for 20 percent of the time and listen for 80 percent of the time. It's crucial for new salespeople to develop their active-listening skills.
Principle 5: Features Must Be Linked to Benefits It's a standard sales component, but the features-and-benefits connection bears repeating and reminding: Features are common, but benefits are personal and specific. When describing the product or service you are selling, use "link phrases" when outlining the benefits of the features you are showing. Say, "Such and such is a feature of this service, which means that . . .' Remember to be specific. (Continued on page 43)
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Principle 6: Sell the Results -- Paint a Picture You want the outcome for your prospect to be rosy, but you need to convey that. Discover your prospect's "prime desires," and personalize the benefits to him or her. Describe the end results of the transaction and how it will improve the life of your prospect.
Principle 7: You Cannot Rely On Logic Emotion drives 84 percent of all buying decisions, not logic. What are the chief buying emotions? They include ego, security, pride of ownership, greed, health, prestige, status, ambition, and fear of loss. Be well aware of these emotions as you approach, engage and deal with your customers.
Principle 8: Selective Product Knowledge Is the Key A good salesperson realizes that buyers buy solutions and results; they do not buy products or services. Know the specific aspects of your product or service that will create your client's desired result.
Principle 9: Aim To Be Unique You want to convey to your customers an attitude of "me first," rather than "me too." Every business, every company, every product has something that is unique, and this is what you need to stress. Look outside the square, and identify the uniqueness of your product, your service, your company -- and yourself.
Principle 10: Don't Sell on Price Selling on price is simply a cop out. You must value your expertise, your products and your services, and price accordingly. Always keep the bottom line firmly in your mind. Remember, anyone can give business away. Selling merely on price means we do not need sales people!
Principle 11: Present Your Solutions When we present our proposals, rather than mailing, faxing or e-mailing, we increase the likelihood of a sale by a factor of 10 if we do so in person.
Principle 12: Be Professional at All Times The greatest compliment a customer can pay you is to describe you as "professional." Don't worry about being liked -- be respected. Being professional is not one thing, it is three: It is what you do, what you say, and how you present yourself.
Please share this with all of your counter people. This is a great reminder of what we need to do to keep the business we have and solidify future customer relations..
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Sparring with an Airbag Like being in the ring with George Foreman By Dr. Patricia A. Richard
Each day, it seems, we awaken to the news of yet another horrific car accident somewhere in Connecticut. We breathe a sigh of relief when we learn that the vehicles were totaled and yet the occupants “miraculously” walked away, seemingly unscathed, because their automobiles had been equipped with airbags. We bless the advent of these safety devices. But few people realize that airbags, while ultimately saving lives, may cause complex injuries themselves No one would argue the benefits of having an airbag during a serious accident – they do indeed save lives. But if you have been involved in a collision during which your airbag deployed, think twice: you may have sustained injuries of which you are unaware. Being in the path of a deploying airbag is like being punched in the face by a pro boxer. When an airbag inflates, it travels at speeds as fast as 200mph, and with the force of up to 2,000 pounds. Federal regulations require that airbags sufficiently inflate to restrain and protect an unbelted dummy, representing the average adult male, in a crash test into a concrete barrier at 30mph. To meet this federal requirement, an airbag must inflate in a split second (actually about 1/30th of a second.) This is faster than a blink of an eye – so fast you can’t even see it happen. Being struck with such force is likely to cause injury. While most of these are minor, consisting only of bruises, burns and abrasions, some are more serious, such as broken arms. In extreme cases, such as when the head or chest is against the module when it opens, airbags can kill. Also, some soft tissue damage can occur without you realizing it. The airbag very likely could have caused head, neck and jaw injuries – injuries that you may not even notice at the time of the accident. Women are more likely to be injured than men by airbags simply because they tend to sit lower in the seat and closer to the steering wheel. Airbag trauma, like whiplash, can rip and tear delicate ligaments that hold joints in place. These problems can manifest themselves days, weeks or even years after they happen. One of the most common of these injuries is to the jaw, and it can be among the most painful. When the disc or jaw joints slip, blood vessels and nerves are pinched, causing radiating pain that can expand to the face. Even a small misalignment of the jaw eventually may cause vascu(Continued on page 45)
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lar headaches that feel like severe migraines. Such a condition of the jaw requires treatment by a professional who can care for both the medical and dental aspects of the injury. The one-two punch of an airbag can cause compression of the trigeminal nervous system of the face, which is responsible for sensation and mechanical jaw motion, leading to displacement of the temporomandibular joints that manifests in compromised opening of the mouth. Jaw injuries can also impact the inner ear. Inner-ear trauma can cause a host of symptoms that range from dizziness to congestion and a feeling of stuffiness or “fullness” in the ear – a condition that may lead you to think you have developed or aggravated your allergies. In the medical world, airbag injury is also know as hyper acceleration/deceleration injury; simply put, your head and neck are flung forward at the time of front-end impact, and then quickly thrust backward by the airbag. Intra-cranial hemorrhage, concussion, impaired visual acuity, even orbital blow-out fracture (in which the eyeball is dislodged from the socket) all can result from airbag deployment. In the aftermath of any incident in which an airbag had deployed, it is important to contact a physician who specializes in these sorts of injuries, even if you don’t think you have been injured. It is especially important that this be done early, because if you delay, scar tissue could form, making any necessary treatments much more difficult. And if you are bothered by allergies this year and normally don’t have them, consider whether you have been in a vehicle in which the airbag has inflated. Even if the airbag did not deploy, a fender bender at speeds as low as 8mph could cause your head to be tossed about with sufficient force that injury could occur. In either instance, see a physician. Dr. Patricia A. Richard is a medical doctor and dentist practicing in Fairfield, CT. She specializes in the treatment of injuries to the facial area, as well as to other areas of the body. She can be reached at (203) 254-8080.
THE GUILD MOTTO
“THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BY LIKE SIZE DEALERS IN A NON COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT” This is the reason the Guild exists. The strength of our existence relies not on the voices of a select few, but on the combined knowledge of all. With this in mind, everyone should remember to become as pro-active as possible. The Guild is YOURS, be proud of it and be part of it!
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Marketing in 2008 became decidedly social — and 2009 will see the social elements of marketing accelerate. Social media went from being on the cutting edge, to approaching the mainstream. When I say “social” I mean marketing driven by word-of-mouth relationships. As you go through each of the following small business marketing trends, you’ll see how powerful the social component is for getting and keeping your ideal customer. Just remember, your customers control your brand, so act accordingly. 1. AUTHENTICITY– In 2009, the focus is on “authenticity” and letting the real people behind your company be visible and show through — no more hiding behind a faceless website filled with the word “We.” Instead, it’s “I.” Consumers and B2B buyers expect to know who they are dealing with before hiring your company. In the event of a problem with your products, consumers want a real person to reach out to, whether it’s AngelaAtHP or ComcastCares on Twitter, or the Web designer you want to hire who actively participates in Facebook and Plurk. Business people are connecting one-to-one through social media sites and this activity will continue. How to take advantage of this trend: • Set up a social media presence in your real name on sites like Twitter.com, and interact with customers and prospects, mixing in personal information as well as business information. Examples: @ShaneGoldberg (Shane Goldberg, founder of Extreme Member), @TimBerry (Tim Berry, President of Palo Alto Software), and @pixily (Prasad Thammineni, CEO of Pixily). • Set up profiles and groups on Facebook and start recruiting customers to join. • Create at least one blog to keep customers educated either about your industry or your products and services. 2. DO IT YOURSELF MARKETING – A study by the Yellow Pages Association of America found that more than half of all small businesses say that getting and keeping customers is a challenge, yet nearly two-thirds say they will NOT get any outside help in marketing. The costs of traditional advertising is going up with newspaper ad rates growing 18%, while the effectiveness of traditional marketing is coming down with newspaper readership coming down. In 1992 it took three touches to reach your buyer — and today it takes more than eight!
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How to take advantage of this trend: • Do some market research. Use free online survey tools like SurveyMonkey or QuestionPro to find out what’s really important to your customers. • Invest in direct marketing. Take the time to build your customer lists and start sending direct messages to your customers whenever possible. Use the information you learned from your surveys to target your message. If you can’t afford direct snail mail, then do email marketing, which is cheaper. • Post videos and slide shows on your web site and/or blog. Video a demonstration or collect testimonials from customers. Google likes video content, increasing your chances of being found online. By posting slide shows on your site and on SlideShare, you can reach two audiences – those on social sites like Slideshare and those that come to your site directly. And you make your existing presentations and documents do double duty by posting them online. 3. TECH-DRIVEN WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING – 68% of your customers will leave you because they don’t see the difference between you and the other guy. This is why word-ofmouth-marketing will become even more popular in 2009. Loyal customers tell their friends and family WHY to choose you. With so much advertising around us. small businesses will have to penetrate deep “firewalls” of resistance to get to their ideal customers. How to take advantage of this trend: • Put a forum section on your web site and run ongoing Q&As with your customers. This will give you the REAL reasons that they choose you. • Start a referral or affiliate program. It’s as simple as approaching those businesses who serve your customers BEFORE they get to you. A good example is car dealers can refer insurance agents. Clothing retailers can recommend dry cleaners. Look ahead of you in the supply chain and behind you in the supply chain and start referring and collecting referrals. • Measure your Net Promoter Score. Fred Reicheld wrote a book called “The Ultimate Question” that discovered that this single greatest predictor of profitability was the answer to the question “How likely are you to refer [this company] to friends and family?” 4. ECO AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – “Green” has gone mainstream. It’s not just a trendy thing to say anymore. In 2009, letting your customers know that your product or service is eco-and socially responsible is literally a feature you want to communicate. A BBDO (Ad Agency) study recently showed that younger consumers made purchasing decisions based on how what “difference you made in the world.” Whether you’re into this trend or not — many consumers have put this on their criteria list. How to take advantage of this trend: • Promote whatever community programs or ecologically friendly projects or practices that you have. Don’t think that any effort at environmental-friendly activity is too small. If you are replacing all your light bulbs in your offices to the new fluorescent — then say so. If you are recycling paper — say so. (Continued on page 48)
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If you’re a local business that does business locally — show your customers how you re-cycle and grow the money they spend with you back into the community.
5. BOOTSTRAPPING AND SIMPLICITY – We’ve been moving away from excess for a few years now. But in 2009, being resourceful and bootstrapping is officially cool. This year brings a terrific opportunity to cut out products and services that have little value. Simplifying your offerings gives you the opportunity to differentiate yourself and maintain (if not increase) your price points for products or services that you do best. How to take advantage of this trend: • Run a report of your products and services sold to each customer and check out the margins. Highlight the low-margin offerings and see if you can move your customers to a more profitable alternative. • Look at your bills and statements and ask yourself the question ‘In what ways does this expense get and keep my ideal customers?’ If you don’t come up with a good answer — it may be time to cut that expense out. 6. MARKETING TO THE “BUY BUTTON” – Neuromarketing is the study of how our brains respond to messages. Neuromarketing is becoming the standard baseline for copywriting and advertising. Learning how your customers’ “buy button” works will save you time effort and money. How to take advantage of this trend: • Read the books Buyology and Neuromarketing to understand exactly how your brain is influenced to choose one product over another. • Find ways to attach positive emotions to your product or service. • Show your customer that you trust THEM by making a trial period available or quickly approving credit. 7. PAID MEMBERSHIPS — Membership sites are a new trend that make the Internet a terrific money-making opportunity for all kinds of entrepreneurs. Combine the trend of creating a niche, and a
membership site, and you will have yourself a winning formula in 2009. Offering memberships is not restricted to the Internet alone. Restaurants have used memberships successfully to even out cash flow and consistently bring in customers. Financial service providers have used memberships to educate their clients and provide special events and services. How to take advantage of this trend: • Think of ways to offer a regular benefit to members: product or service of the month, research, e-books, designs and templates. If you have a niche, you have the makings of a membership opportunity. • Can you call your customers members? What could you offer them on a regular basis as a benefit of membership? • Some examples of membership sites: Artella Words and Art, Artistic Thread Works, The Biz Web Coach. (Continued on page 49)
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8. MOBILITY — Accessing the Internet via mobile device or smart phone is a given. The sites that are mobile friendly will be the sites of choice for consumers looking for information on the go. Another common occurrence is receiving updates on your order or any information that you request via text message. How to take advantage of this trend: • Check out these services for sending text messages to customers from the Web: ClearSMS.com, Group2Call.com • Talk to your technical expert to see what it would take to convert your web site or blog to be viewed easily on the web. 9. WISDOM OF CROWDS — Your customers will want more say in how you improve your product or service. Internet tools like UserVoice, Get Satisfaction and IdeaScale will gain more popularity in 2009 and will be common platforms for gathering customer feedback and ideas on product improvements. Using these feedback tools helps to build customer community and loyalty. How to take advantage of this trend: • Sign up for a free version of UserVoice, GetSatisfaction or IdeaScale and put a Feedback widget on your web site or blog. Tell your customers to contribute ideas. • Be sure to monitor (or have your employees monitor) the feedback on such sites and participate in it. Then as you implement suggestions – communicate that to your customers. 10. PERSONAL BRANDING– Personal Branding will become more important than a killer resume or bio. Your personal brand is your public identity. It’s what you are known for within and outside your network. It has never been more important to differentiate yourself and focus on what sets you apart from the crowd. Good personal brands give people an immediate sense of knowing you and the experience your business offers. What do these names conjure up for you? Donald Trump, Oprah, Richard Branson? Each of these individuals have focused on a defining idea or element of who they are that is immediately recognizable. For example “You’re Fired” would not be Oprah and “Live your best life” would not be Donald Trump How to take advantage of this trend: • Make sure you are using a photo on the web. It doesn’t need to be professional, in fact, a candid and authentically-you shot is best. Use the same pictures everywhere until your brand is established. @GuyKawasaki has his standard picture – but he also changes it around now and then. @JenniferLaycock from SearchEngine Guide uses her company’s puppy logo as her brand. • Register your name as your domain name. Also register extensions of your name on popular social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Slideshare, and others. This serves a defensive purpose, too, as it prevent squatters from profiting off of your personal brand. Part of the Small Business Trends 2009 Trends Series.
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2009 Mopar Masters Guild Committees President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Executive Committee
Brent Hoge
Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Steve Hofer Mike Mulkins
Park Chrysler Jeep Go Chrysler Jeep West
All of the above and: Gerry Oakes Paul Allred Rick Monteiro Marvin Windham Alan Yancey Roy Benner Dan Hutton 1st Alternate
Baxter Chrysler Jeep Metrolina Chrysler Jeep Dodge Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Don Drennen Motors Hayes Chrylser Dodge Jeep Allen Samuels Dodge Tom O’Brien Chrysler
Membership Committee Brent Christensen (West) Ole Olson (North) Doug Price (East) Robbie Jackson (South)
Ken Garff West Valley CJD Elk River Chrysler Security Dodge Chrysler Salsbury’s Dodge City
Vendor Chairmen
Paul Allred Gerry Oakes
Metrolina Chrysler Jeep Dodge Baxter Chrysler Jeep
Newsletter
Don Cushing Mike Mulkins Claire Cummings
Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler Go Chrysler Jeep West Go Chrysler Jeep West
Performance Group
Ole Olson
Elk River Chrysler
Finance Committee
Roy Benner Brent Hoge
Allen Samuels Dodge Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Reynolds & Reynolds
Paul Allred Tom Watson John Gilbert Rick Cutaia
Metrolina Chrysler Jeep Dodge Performance Chrysler Jeep Dodge Preston Chrysler Jeep Rick Hendrick Dodge
ADP
Roy Benner Steve Hofer Mike Mulkins Casey Brown
Allen Samuels Dodge Park Chrysler Jeep Go Chrysler Jeep West Allen Samuels Dodge Katy
Snap-On
Dan Hutton
Tom O’Brien Chrysler
OEConnection
Brent Hoge
Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Dealer Tire
Mike Mulkins Go Chrysler Jeep West Steve Hofer Park Chrysler Jeep (Dan, Brent, Mike and Steve are the Chairs for Snap-On, OEConnection and Dealer Tire)
Tracy Industries
Mike Mulkins Steve Hofer Brent Hoge Claire Cummings
NADA 2010 Planning
TBA
Website Chairmen
Marvin Windham Don Cushing
Go Chrysler Jeep West Park Chrysler Jeep Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Go Chrysler Jeep West
Don Drennen Motors Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler