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 Recently, I sat through an OEM webinar about, wait for it... the importance of video in today’s retail automotive space. Yes, in 2025. I’ve been beating this drum for over a decade, but hey, better late than never, right?
While the main purpose of the webinar was to announce "preferred vendor" status for a couple of video marketing companies (don't get me started, that is a whole other blog piece!), some of the data they shared had me nodding my head so hard I almost got whiplash. Messages with video have a 96% higher click-through rate. Seventy-five percent of shoppers say video influenced their purchase decision. No shock to me as I’ve seen it in action at my own store. A few months back, I pitched a video tool to my sales team. The response? Classic skepticism: “I don’t like how I look on video,” “I say ‘um’ too much,” and my personal favorite, “Nobody watches those.” Even the GM was hesitant and not willing to foot the bill, yet I believed in it so much I signed us up for MinMax Video out of my own pocket. Yep, I put my money where my mouth is. Spoiler alert: it paid off. Sure, the team had jitters at first. So, I rolled up my sleeves and made a few videos myself to show them it wasn’t that scary. Guess what? Customers don’t need Hollywood, they want real. A few "ums" and some authentic personality actually work in your favor. The results? Mind-blowing. Of the 41 vehicles we sold in June to internet leads, 39 were to customers who watched their personalized video three or more times. The average views on the last 100 videos we’ve sent? Six. That’s six solid impressions from customers already warmed up to our team before they ever set foot in the showroom. So, yeah, video works. But talking about it and actually doing it are two different things. If you’re still on the fence, hit me up I’d love to share what we see working. And if you’re looking for a solid platform to empower your team, I can’t recommend MinMax Video enough!  I remember about ten years ago, marketing vendors kept hitting me with the same line: “We stole the best minds from Google!” Supposedly, these folks knew Google’s algorithms inside and out. I even joked with one guy, “If everyone’s hired the Google team, how’s Google still in business?”
Fast forward to today, and here we go again except now it's artificial intelligence instead of search engines. Suddenly, every vendor is boasting they’ve got ex-OpenAI, ex-DeepMind, or “we basically invented AI” types on their payroll. The funniest part? I’m in a weekly study group with some truly brilliant people, actual AI developers, researchers, and innovators. And not one of them calls themselves a guru. Not one drops phrases like “I’m the AI whisperer” or “I cracked ChatGPT’s code.” So when a cold-call vendor swaggers into the store and claims they’ve got exclusive access to “the minds behind AI,” my skepticism meter doesn’t just blink red—it explodes off the charts. Maybe my wife is right and I am a little too cynical. But maybe, just maybe, it’s not cynicism. Maybe it’s just experience... and a solid BS detector.  After 35 years in the car business, working with OEMs and their ever-rotating carousel of “preferred vendors,” I’ll admit that the very first thing that pops into my head when I hear about a newly announced partnership isn’t excitement. It’s a question: “So, who sits on whose board, or who shares a tee time at Torrey Pines?”
I’m not trying to be cynical (well, maybe just a lil), but after decades of watching solutions come and go, I’ve learned to be skeptical when a new service or system is suddenly pushed as the next big thing, especially when the sales pitch comes with a heavy dose of “It’s 100% co-op’able!” Now don’t get me wrong, I know there are vendors out there who have genuinely earned their spot at the OEM table and worked with many that prove why they are there consistently. Companies that deliver value, drive results, and actually support dealers, rather than just sell to them. But when a rep starts preaching about a product I’ve never heard of with a commission-like enthusiasm, my inner red flag waves harder than a Saturday blowout sale banner. Dealers deserve more than buzzwords and boardroom handshakes. We deserve tools that actually work, have been tested, proven, and built for our side of the business. Call me old school, but I still believe performance should matter more than proximity to the OEM’s annual retreat. hashtag#JustSayin ;) What are your thoughts car pros?  Is Social Media Still Worth It for Car Dealers? Let’s Talk About It.
Social media isn’t dead… but it sure isn’t acting like it used to. In the latest episode of The First Pencil, your favorite duo Kathi and Mike pull no punches as they dive into the ever-evolving world of social platforms—and how it’s changing the game for car dealers trying to stay in front of today’s buyers. ~Is organic reach officially a ghost town? ~Are paid ads the only way forward—or just a money pit with better graphics? ~And most importantly, what is actually working right now? Whether you’re managing a single rooftop or leading a multi-store group, this episode is your heads-up (and maybe your wake-up call) on why your old social media strategy might be costing you more than just dollars, it might be costing you relevance. Tune in to hear what’s changed, what’s working, and what smart dealers are doing differently in 2025 to make social media work for them not the other way around. Listen in HERE  Sometimes You Gotta ‘Lego Your Ego’ to Succeed…
When I first became fascinated with marketing, it was way before social media was a thing. Back then, I was just a car guy trying to figure out how to use this new thing called "the internet" to grow the reach of the dealership I worked for. It was 2005 and there weren’t many digital tools, but that didn’t stop me. I went down a lot of rabbit holes trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. Wild goose chases? Oh yeah. Plenty. In those early days, I kept most of my ideas to myself. I was testing things, tweaking things, and honestly screwing up more often than not! Some of that came from fear: fear of being judged, fear of getting it wrong. And sure, maybe a little ego too—thinking I’d cracked some secret code that would launch our visibility into the stratosphere. (Spoiler: it didn’t.) Eventually, working in a vacuum started to wear me down. I realized the results I thought I was getting were more smoke and mirrors I created for myself than actual progress. That’s when I started connecting with other folks online—people who were getting real results. And to my surprise, they weren’t just open to sharing their insights, many were actually interested in what I was doing too. That changed everything. As I learned from the best in the biz, I slowly let go of the fear and that pesky ego. That’s when things really took off. The big aha moment? Realizing I wasn’t going to appeal to everyone and that’s perfectly okay. Letting go of that pressure was like dropping a 200-pound weight off my shoulders. Now, I focus on the people my message does resonate with, my real customers. I’d rather connect with 10 people who actually want to do business than 10,000 who just "like" a post and scroll on. Trust me, that shift in mindset made a huge difference. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to anyone struggling with social media marketing, it’s this: drop the act. Be real. Don’t try to sound like what you think people want to hear. Just be you. Authenticity wins... EVERY. TIME. 👉 What about you? Have you had your own "aha moment" in marketing? What helped you break through? Drop a comment or shoot me a message—I’d love to hear your story! :)  Content May Be King Online, but Accountability Still Rules the Showroom
Do You Inspect What You Expect? These days, it seems like every vendor that sits in front of me says the same catchphrase: “Content is king.” While I’m sure that’s true in the online world, today I want to talk about a different king—one that rules the showroom. At the dealership, I have a saying I’ve repeated thousands of times over the years: “Accountability is king” or in other words Inspect what you expect! But there’s a difference between repeating that phrase and actually practicing it. Too often, we look only at the results of an employee’s performance and assume we know the activities that led to those results—whether positive or negative. For example, we might assume that a salesperson who sells 20 cars a month must be diligent about following their daily work plan. Conversely, we might assume a low-performing salesperson isn’t putting in the effort. Here’s the hard truth: a lack of accountability is an all-too-common issue in the car business. If your dealership has accountability down to a science, I applaud you! But after 30-plus years in showrooms, I speak from experience when I say that most of us—including myself—can get sidetracked. We all get busy, and it’s easy to lose track of the day. Many managers simply nod as their salespeople check out with a casual “Good night, boss,” without taking the time to inspect their activities. When this kind of "check-out" process goes unchecked, we end up scrambling at the end of the month to find those last few deals that might save us from a slow performance. The Reality: Preparation and Accountability Win the Month The truth is, there are no “slow months.” What we’re dealing with is often a lack of preparation, follow-up, and consistent management to hold our teams accountable for their production. Our people rely on us to keep them on track and help them earn a living. That’s why it’s our responsibility as managers to:
Plan the Work, Then Work the Plan Before the end of the current month, next month’s activities should be planned out. For retail salespeople on the floor, this means projecting how many ups, demos, and write-ups they’ll need to reach their goals—and, most importantly, identifying how they’ll create those opportunities. For internet salespeople, the steps are similar: managing how many leads, phone calls, appointments, demos, and write-ups they need to hit their targets. It’s crucial to use your CRM daily to monitor what your team is—and isn’t—doing. Then, follow up with them to provide praise for what’s going well and guidance where improvement is needed. If you see someone performing well on the sales tracker, don’t just assume they’re doing a stellar job across the board. Look into it. If they’re excelling, praise them! If they’re falling short in some areas, challenge them to imagine how much better their results could be with consistent follow-up. For low performers, dig deeper. If someone is taking plenty of ups but not getting to the demo stage, help them work on that. If they’re doing great at demos but aren’t asking for the sale, that’s the focus of your next coaching session. Inspect, Guide, and Elevate I’m not breaking any revolutionary new ground here, but these are reminders worth repeating! Fire up your CRM, inspect the activities of your team, and hold them to a higher level of accountability. That’s how you find more deals, improve performance, and create a winning month—every month. Until next time: Sell something New Episode Alert! Just before the holiday on The First Pencil, Kathi and I dove back into one of our favorite topics: Google My Business (now Google Business Profiles). These profiles are a goldmine for local SEO, and consistently adding photos is just one of the easy wins dealers are overlooking. We chatted about SearchLab’s latest car dealer study that reveals some surprising gaps in how the industry uses this powerful tool—and what you can do to stand out. 💡 Don’t miss these insights that could transform your marketing game. 🎧 Listen in now here: https://thefirstpencil.buzzsprout.com/1861300/episodes/16312508-new-study-reveals-car-dealers-seo-blind-spot-google-business-profiles   Instagram's Hashtag Sunset: A New Era for Content Discovery
Instagram's recent announcement to remove hashtag following functionality on December 13, 2024, marks a significant shift in how we discover and engage with content on the platform. While hashtags will still exist, their diminished role raises questions about the future of content discovery and the value of past marketing efforts. For years, marketers and everyday users alike have invested countless hours in crafting the perfect hashtag strategies. These tiny pound signs became the backbone of community building, trend-setting, and content organization. Now, as Instagram pivots towards AI-driven recommendations, it's hard not to see this move as potentially disregarding the immense effort put into building robust hashtag networks. Instagram cites reducing spam and improving user safety as key motivators for this change. However, it also aligns with Meta's broader push towards AI-powered content curation. While this may lead to more personalized feeds, it also means users and brands will need to adapt quickly to maintain visibility. As we bid farewell to hashtag following, questions linger: - How will niche communities continue to thrive? - What new strategies will emerge for content discovery? - Will this change truly enhance user experience, or simply push more towards paid promotion? Only time will tell how this shift will impact Instagram's ecosystem. For now, it's clear that both users and marketers need to prepare for a new era of content strategy on one of the world's most popular social platforms. What are your thoughts on this change? How do you think it will affect your Instagram experience? Let me know in the comments below!  During my 30+ years in automotive I managed some of the most successful sales teams in Southern California. When it comes to successful dealership management, my top three priorities to build, in order of importance, are CPA: Culture, Process, and Accountability. These elements form the foundation of a high-performing dealership team.
Culture: The Foundation of Success Creating the right culture is essential, but it doesn’t happen on its own. A positive culture means fostering an environment where your team feels comfortable enough to fail occasionally—because failure is where true growth happens. Failure isn’t something that should be feared. A willingness to fail is a willingness to try. If a team member isn’t willing to try—whether from fear of being chastised or fear of failure itself—they can’t move forward. As a sales manager for many years, I encouraged my team to use downtime as practice time. This included role-playing scenarios with each other and brainstorming creative ways to overcome customer objections. I always emphasized that it’s better to “practice” with teammates than to experiment during a real customer interaction. This approach helped build confidence and sharpened their skills without risking actual sales opportunities. Process: The Key to Efficiency Every good team needs a process—or even multiple processes—to operate efficiently and achieve measurable results. While processes should be adaptable to changing circumstances, they must also be consistent enough to provide a standard framework for everyone to follow. There are many versions of the Steps to the Sale, but an early manager of mine once told me: “Simple is always better.” That advice stuck with me, so I’ve always trained teams with these simplified steps:
Accountability: A Framework for Growth During my management years, I developed a simple three-part recommendation for salespeople, which I displayed throughout the dealership: Be with a customer, be finding a customer, or be improving yourself.
My CPA framework helped me build some of the best sales teams in the SoCal automotive space. What are your go-to pillars of success? I’d love to hear your thoughts and strategies! |
 Mike theCarGuy
Hey there, I'm Mike theCarGuy and here are some of my thoughts about cars, the car business and sales! Take a look around, maybe you will learn something or at the very least find your self smiling, and if you do... leave me a comment so I know I at least did something right! Thanks for stoppin by... Need to reach me? Call or Text: (909) 830-8390 [email protected] Mike theCarGuy: Grand Terrace, CA 92313 Twitter: @MiketheCarGuy1 Instagram: MiketheCarGuy Threads: @MiketheCarGuy BlueSky: MiketheCarGuy
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