Digital Download Podcast: Recent Episodes

Learning and Insights

A podcast to help expand your knowledge of our clients, products, services, and people.

Lauraliisa Gudgeon shares the details of her fireside chat at The Channel Effect, during which she talked about how we remain competitive in the ever-changing retail landscape and the important consideration of the customer experience. The discussion focused on why digital transformation and in-market activation are critical components of modern retailing strategies today — both from a consumer perspective and an operational standpoint. She was also joined by Steve Beckham, the Chief Marketing and Brand Officer at Ziosk, where he spoke about what it means to successfully engage in hospitality today.

Darren Crane shares details and information on Nissan, a car manufacturer that began in 1933 Japan and is currently the eight largest OEM in the world. Our relationship with them dates back 20 years thanks to Andy Arnold and Heidi Brooks. Listen for details on our Cold Fusion and Titan Programs as well as all the other solutions (social publishing, Nissan artwork creation, Tier 3 content creation, etc.) they have with us.

Darren goes on to discuss the two solutions we are working toward with them, the 2023 Ariya launch, and their Thrill of the Drive sales event. The commercial for the event is so cool, we've included a link so you can watch.

The Nissan Thrill of the Drive Sales Event

Shannon Bester, who has been working with Mazda for the past eight years, shares more about who they are as a company (a Japanese car manufacturer with eight models), what it's like working with them (interesting and challenging, what programs and solutions they have with us (quite a few!), and when we initially engaged with them (Andy did back in early 2000!). Tune in for more details on the Mazda Brand Academy, their digital certified program, and Mazda's focus right now.

Jenny Gonsior, AVP on the Client Partnership team, tells us all about Ansira's clients Hyundai and Genesis. Hyundai, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea is one of the largest automobile manufactures in the world and has been around since 1967, while Genesis (its luxury counterpart) was born in 2015. Jenny shares details of the programs we currently have with them, including co-op programs, compliance, asset management, and more — and also discusses what's top of mind for this client right now (it's electric!).

Cody Colella, Sr. Digital Performance Strategist, provides an overview of February’s Conversation Starters deck— a phenomenal resource to use when engaging with our customers. Topics include Inline Ads on the Vehicle Search Results page, merchandising old inventory on a dealer’s site to make it new again, Chevy’s new electric corvette, our wins at Brian Pasch’s AWAs, a new AI tool called ChapGPT, and SO MUCH MORE.

Many thanks to the team that puts these slides together as they truly are intended to help build stronger dealer client relations.

Editor’s note: Every time Cody says “Sincro,” think “Ansira.” We’re all in the process of retraining our brains!

Here's a link to the deck!

Kerrie Nowak walks us through GM's Dealer Website Choice (DWC) program and answers every question you could possibly have about it, including how dealers enroll, who other providers are, what the Sincro packages are (including what's in them and how much they cost), as well as if website products and services are eligible for IMR funds with match (YES!). Tune in for all that and more. \

Enrollment Sites and Supporting Resources:

https://www.sincrodigital.com/gm

https://www.gmdealerdigital.com/websites

They can Contact their District Digital Manager or their local Zone Team.

Email Dealer.Digital@GM.com
Call a Dealer Digital Solution representative at 800-250-9038
- Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.—to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday

Catie Cryer, Ansira's EVP of Media, talks all things media at Ansira, including an explanation of the various teams that fall under the media umbrella: Media Strategy, Media Operations, Media Buying/ Execution, Owned Media, and Aggregator Media. After the explanation of who each team is and what they're up to, Catie goes on to elaborate upon how they all work together. There has been a lot of exciting change within the team — and there is much to look forward to. Tune in for more!

In this Getting to Know Your Teams episode, you'll learn all about the Client Partnership team, which falls under the larger Client Engagement umbrella. Kelly Jacxsens, the head of Client Partnership Operations and Enablement, kicks off the conversation, then Laura Cooling Braasch, Stephanie Conreaux, and Rebecca Rabon walk us through the roles and responsibilities of key members of the CP (Client Partnership) team. Not only will you learn more about the team's macro (providing strategic vision) and micro (managing escalations) responsibilities, but you will also gain some tips on multi-tasking, keeping clients engaged, and retention.

Colleen Harris is here to remind you (and our dealers) that Google Analytics 4 is inevitably coming on July 1st. She shares what your dealers should already have done (own their own GA4 property and have it installed on their site(s)!) and what they should be doing now to ensure they are on track and ready for the arrival. No stress if you baby step!

Stephanie Conreaux and Adrien Hardy talk about Subaru, with whom Ansira has been working for almost 20 years. Learn more about Subaru and their values (we dare you not to be inspired!) from Stephanie, including details on their Love Promise pillars. Subaru's philosophy is to be more than a car, more than a car dealer, and more than a car company.

As far as the solutions we manage for them: Our program has evolved from managing their co-op to what it is today, which as it happens is A LOT. Tune in for an overview of all the programs we manage, which include Marketing Resource Center, Event Management Too, co-op, compliance, competitive shopping, a certified collision center pilot, and more.

Benjamin Moore is one of Ansira's long-term clients who initially just used our co-op solution. Since 2019, Rita Somo has been instrumental in helping grow our business with them. As a business, Benjamin Moore is one of the leading paint companies in the country, who delivers directly to customers through nationwide networks. Tune in to learn more about all the solutions they have with us (or are piloting) and more about their 2023 goal for retailers.

Patrick Wilson talks about Ansira's client Infiniti, with whom we have had a 20 year partnership with a range of solutions including social media as well as tier 3 retailer marketing (for starters). Infiniti is Nissan's luxury automotive brand whose primary objective is to provide customers and retailers with the best vehicle possible. Patrick also shares details of their fiscal year and their current focus.

Lauren Duquette tells us all about Ansira's client Prudential, the very well-established insurance company that's been around for 145 years. She talks about who they are, what they do, how long we've been working with them, which group we specifically do business with (AICPA) as well as what we're doing for them.

Lauren Duquette tells us about one of Ansira's brand new clients: Hiscox, an insurance company that offers fast and affordable coverage for small businesses. We have done two campaigns with them thus far and they are working to determine whether direct mail is worthwhile to pursue. They're in the early stages of their marketing journey, and there's a lot of opportunity for growth with them.

Sarah Roberts has a great conversation starter for the new year: namely SEO. It's the perfect time to perform an SEO audit on existing clients (and a DPA can help, if need be!) Ask dealers how their sites have been performing and see if they have any changes in expectation with regard to their organic performance. Inventory levels are returning to a more normal level so it's a great time to talk about how PowerSEO can benefit your customers. Tune in for more tips and tricks, then check out the Conversation Starters deck for more.

Laura Cooling Braasch, AVP of Client Partnership, tells us all about Dell, an American-based technology company that has over $100 billion US in annual revenue. (Surely, you've heard of them.) She shares the history of how we came to do business with them, starting with an RFP in 2019, and goes on to expand upon the solutions Dell currently has with us. Currently, they have solutions that fall in both Ecosystem Enablement and Integrated Loyalty — but there's an opportunity for more! Tune in to find out more about what that is and also learn what's top of mind for Dell right now.

Laura Middleton, Ansira's VP of Operations and Enablement, provides updates on everything her team has accomplished and is actively working on. From creating one Ansira subsidiary to successfully creating Ansira email addresses for all Sincro employees — they have done a ton. She also addresses time tracking, which has launched with overwhelming success (90% compliance) in 2023.

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Eva Maslach (Digital Performance Strategist Team Lead) discusses why analytic data doesn't match between platforms — or even on the same platform for that matter (yes, we know: super frustrating). If you're unclear or your dealer has questions, then this podcast is for you. Rest easy knowing that no data will ever match identically and no tool will ever be completely accurate. Eva shares the key reasons why that is.

Jennifer Gibbs tells us all about our Northern Tool client, a privately-owned tool company that serves both the DIY client as well as trade professionals. She walks us through the loyalty program we're in the process of creating for them as well as the why. And finally, she talks about what's next and where our opportunities are (sounds like there's a lot!)

Part 1: An Overview of Budgeting, Forecasting, and Recognizing Revenue

In the first of our three part series on Renewals, Brian Shin (SVP of FPNA and Client Finance) lays the foundation by explaining Ansira's overall budgeting process — including when it begins and which parties are involved. He then talks about how Ansira forecasts and recognizes revenue, which is dependent upon the type of services we provide. Finally, Brian covers renewals, which are 75-80% of our revenue (and truly the bread and butter of our business.)

Part Two: Ansira's Renewal Portfolio and Process

Andy Arnold (President and CRO) and Kelly Jacxsens (Head of Client Partnership Operations and Engagement) explain the three different ways in which we engage with our clients: Recurring, retainer, and project-based. From there, Kelly walks us through the portfolio planning process with CP Leads.

Part Three: The Luxco Renewal

Jennifer Gibbs (SVP, Client Partnership) and Katie Seida (Account Director) share the details and particulars of a renewal process, including when they get to work, what goes into the process, and all of the teams that are involved. David Garsh (Senior Director, Strategy) offers advice on the renewal process based on the success that the teams working with Luxco had.

Kerrie Nowak provides an overview of GM's Digital Advertising Program, including which vendors dealer's can choose from (a lot), which packages Sincro offers (as well as what's included within each), how dealers enroll (it's a little tricky), and whether our products and services are eligible for IMR funds with match (they are!). For additional information, check out the below resources:

https://www.sincrodigital.com/gm-digital-advertising#close

https://www.gmdealerdigital.com/digital-advertising/

Advertising Checking Bureau (ACB) support team: 1-888-GMCOOP-1

Dealers have several options for support:

They can Contact their District Digital Manager or their local Zone Team.
Email Dealer.Digital@GM.com
Call a Dealer Digital Solution representative at 800-250-9038

KJ Sands explains our One Company initiative, which is both energizing and inspiring. Ansira and Sincro have quite a few similarities — and the differences between the two brands actually complement each other perfectly. Watch for more and learn about the timing of when these changes will go into effect.

Josh Reuter, VP Product Sales Engineer, has five Channel Engagement (Distributor) reminders that are all about streamlining, simplifying, and making our client's lives easier. The best news? They're all ALREADY available. He reviews globalization, orderable email deployments, WalkMe, online asset submission forms, as well as automated social posting. Bonus: He talks about a new enhancement in the works that will be available early 2023.

The Google Whisperer's updates may be brief but they are always priceless! Colleen Harris encourages you to talk with your dealers about setting up their own instance of Google Analytics 4. They should really do it now, because blink and July will be here!

Patrick Wilson shares updates on INFINITI and their primary focus right now: closing out both their calendar and fiscal year. In light of this, he reminds listeners to be patient with our INFINITI customers (everyone can benefit from a little extra patience — especially this time of year!)

Karlyn Bentley starts out by explaining how our opportunity with Ciena came to be, which is quite serendipitous. From there, she walks us through the pitch, how Ciena received it, and what opportunities are possible in the future. Ben Saari shares details on the solution we've created for them and talks about what's next (a lot!).

Darren Crane shares what's top of mind for Nissan right now, and it's all about electrification. Did you know they were pioneers in the EV field? In 1947, they created the Tama (check out images here). While their advertising campaign continues to be "The Thrill of the (EV) Drive," their offers are less thrilling (but offers nonetheless!). Tune in for the details and be sure to check out the resources in this episode for Nissan asset and playbook information.

Nissan Electrification Communication Plan

Thrill of the Drive Playbook

Rebecca Rabon introduces us to Ansira's client Charter Communications. If you've heard of Spectrum TV, then you definitely know who they are. For three years, Ansira has been working with Charter Communications (since the Brightwave days!). Listen to learn more about what we do for them, how many teams work with them (mind-boggling!), what they're focusing on now (retention), and so much more. Rebecca emphasizes that they are very open to collaboration, so if you already work with them - be sure to share your thoughts and ideas!

Jane Chipman and Ben Saari discuss all of the new things coming soon for TPMI (Trade Promotion Management) in Ansira EDGE, including eSign functionality for Hyundai, a new program for Ciena, the Alludo launch, and a new admin functionality that will allow us to create recommended values for media sources. Ben reveals new prospects and logos to keep an eye out for too: Aston Marton, JPW, Splunk, Hyundai Canada, and Comcast. Tons of good updates, and keep an eye out for even more details in the coming months.

Whether you're a first time listener or seasoned subscriber, Director of Enterprise Solutions ROBBMAC provides a great overview of GM's Dealer Digital Solutions Program, breaking down the nine categories and where Sincro products fit within them.

The GM Dealer Digital Solution program, also known as the GM DDS Program, is a collection of product categories aimed at helping dealers with GM franchises drive vehicles sales and service revenue. For even more info, go to www.gmdealerdigital.com and stay tuned for more in-depth podcasts on Websites, Digital Advertising, SEO, and Reputation Management.

Kent Piekarczyk , Ansira's Account Director for Ford/Lincoln talks about Ford's shifting sales model, which is moving toward more of an ordering process as a result of limited inventory. There's an emphasis too on 'owner privilege,' and what that means/looks like for a Ford/Lincoln customer. He also talks about the year-end sales event, a push away from more traditional advertising, and encourages listeners to anticipate our Ford/ Lincoln client needs to help drive our business forward.

Laura Middleton, Ansira's VP of Operations and Enablement, talks about our new (to some of us!) time tracking initiative, which will officially launch in January 2023. She explains why we are doing it now (we are becoming one company, after all) and how it's intended to ultimately to give us all a better understanding of data around the organization. There are many more resources and support coming soon, but tune in now to learn more about the initiative and why it actually is a little bit exciting.

Laura Cooling Braasch provides this month's updates for Dell, who are continuing to focus on their One Partner Program. She also shares details on how we are supporting those efforts as well as when we plan on launching them (it's so important to deliver seamless online experience for partners!). Finally, Dell is working on enhancing data storage and security. But there's so much more!, tune in for the rest

Rita Somo talks about Ansira's in-person meeting with the Benjamin Moore team that took place in New Jersey in October, which happened to go very well. They talked both LMA and website programs, and the people with whom they met were very impressed with Jason's website presentation (We have the most robust set of solutions they've seen!). Rita has a lot of other good news to share, including an upcoming sales event in December (a great opportunity to engage with retailers) and Benjamin Moore's recently announced Color of the Year.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Luisa Puentes, Co-Lead of the Latinx@Ansira ERG sat down with Ansira’s Chief Financial and Operating Officer Rudy Gonzalez to learn more about his heritage, background, path to success, and favorite traditions.

Erin Zaborac and Joel Kirsch share details of their time at two Las Vegas events in October: Driving Sales Executive Summit (DSES) and Digital Dealer. In this podcast, they discuss major takeaways (In Person Conferences Are BACK, Baby!), dealer sentiment, what Tier 3 teams should know, recommendations they have, new business opportunities, and SO MUCH MORE.

Intended Audience: ALL. (But our Tier 3 automotive client-facing teams can particularly benefit from taking a listen!)

In this not to miss episode, our VP of Marketing Megan Duran interviews our President, Andy Arnold. Their conversation ranges from the serious (Andy's career background, career advice, and proudest career moment) to the sillier (his favorite cocktail and his pocket square obsession.) Tune in to get to know our wonderful leader — then feel free to reach out and introduce yourself!

Tim Dumler and Sabrina Thatcher, representing Ansira's ABLE (Achieving Beyond Limits & Expectations) ERG, join the show to announce the launch of their new program: Focus Buddies. This program is beneficial to ALL associates who need a little connection, accountability, or encouragement. Tune in to learn more about the inspiration beyond creating Focus Buddies and the broader cultural impact it can have for our company, then sign up on to find your own Focus Buddy on their calendar! If you have questions, reach out to Sabrina or Tim. And feel free to email ableerg@ansira.com to get involved!

(Editor's note: Tim's audio briefly cuts out at the beginning. He is starting to describe the ABLE ERG.)

The ABLE ERG Sharepoint: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Abilities

Focus Buddy Calendar: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Abilities/Lists/Focus%20Buddy%20Program/calendar.aspx

Julia Rochester, Senior Director of Tier 2 Enterprise Sales, explains what Tier 2 is, who our clients are, what the team looks like, and where our area of opportunities are. Previously, Chevy has been our largest client but it's time to diversify our portfolio and expand into the non-auto space. Tune in for more as well as some inspiration on questions to ask our Tier 3 customers what they're currently doing in the Tier 2 space.

Intended Audience: Everyone!

Colleen Harris clarifies where dealers should be in the process of transitioning to Google Analytics 4. She also cautions against moving reporting at this point because GA4 is still doing releases. We have plenty of time (until July!) to move reports. Tune in for more.

Patrick Wilson provides updates on INFINITI's brand messaging and identity. They want to be the easiest brand to do business with and make it simple for everyone involved, from agencies to customers. Patrick also discusses INFINITI's new creative, their continued focus on CPO, and LPP (lease pricing) advertising.

Hilary McCartney and Alicia Washnock discuss how the HR field has evolved over the years — and more specifically how it has evolved within Ansira. Namely, they are more united and integrated with the global India team. Our HR Business Partners have a seat at the table when business decisions are made and advocate on behalf of Ansira’s employees. Tune in to learn more about their goals, priorities and the things they are up to to help grow and support our company culture.

Greg Hobson, Ansira's AVP of Sales and Ron Lewis, Ansira's Regional Sales Director (for both auto and non-auto) walk us through the Sales organization as a whole, including how many associates are on the team, who our (larger) clients are, where our biggest opportunities lie, and how other parts of the company can help support sales efforts. They also share their insights on keys to closing. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Ed McLaughlin, Ansira CIO, oversees the Product and IT teams. In this interview, he walks through all the varying roles that report up to him and also gives an overview of the products (a lot!) that fall under his purview. He also shares his career background, what drives him to succeed, as well as his (very insightful and lovely!) philosophy on product. Finally, a peek into all the projects his teams are working on and where he says Ansira going as a company.

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Colleen Harris updates us on Google Analytics 4, coming to a computer near you in July of 2023. Yes, that may seems like a year away (literally), but it's not too soon to start preparing for the change. After listening, be sure to reference her most recent article — and then share it with our customers! https://resources.sincrodigital.com/2022/06/29/the-google-whisperers-roadmap-to-google-analytics-4-q3-2022/

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Christel Griffin, the Director of Treasury and BSA/AML Compliance tells us about herself and her team, which falls under the umbrella of finance and supports the client partner experience using our AGP (Ansira Global Payments) solution. She shares information on some of their key initiatives and projects, challenges they face, and who they work with.

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John Stark provides a few key things to discuss with Ford dealers this month — the biggest being that Ford is changing their Go-To-Market strategy from one dealer franchise to multiple dealer franchise networks (ICE, Ford Model E, and Ford Pro — all of which John explains in greater detail on the podcast). Also of note: We are one of the first (if not THE first) to align our website designs with Ford's new brand style guides. Finally, a few details on the upcoming Summer Sales Event. OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Marnie Cannon and John Stark explain what Virtual Inventory is and why it's awesome. Simply put, it allows shoppers to search for inventory on a dealer's website and see it all — even if the dealer may not have a particular vehicle in stock. It's intended to increase leads and conversion (which by the way, it has! One dealer in our pilot saw an additional 40 leads in ONE MONTH!).

Marnie walks through the myriad ways in which virtual inventory can be customized and John has a great story on how this compares to shopping outside of the automotive realm. Be sure to watch our eLearning so you're familiar with how to turn this feature on and are able to set rules. (STAY TUNED FOR THE LINK!)

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This month's conversation starter deck is full of wonderful ideas to inspire consultative conversations with our customers. Sarah Roberts shares more about her slide, which is part of a series on Micro-Moment Marketing over the course of the next five months. For June, it's all about "Which Car is Best?". Listen in for tips, tricks, stats, and resources all meant to help you and your dealer. See a Slide you Really Like? Give the Content Creator some Cheers Points! https://cheers.kazoohr.com/dashboard Find the complete deck here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/:p:/s/AgencyConversationStarters/EQ7b4jh79q1Np746U3l8BXgB3OcgIl1PnWlzIiPtuWHaWw Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Shawn O shares data from GM that emphasizes the importance and positive impact of advertising Fixed Ops. Remind our customers that in times of low inventory, they can still find success in promoting their Fixed Ops offerings. He also shares GM's promotional calendar for Service & Parts. GM Supporting Resources June (Service ROI and Service Retail Plan.docx

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials

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Austin Lavier, a five-year employee with a storied career path, manages Sincro's Onboarding (formerly Implementation) team. He breaks down how many people are on the team and what their primary responsibilities are — and also shares details of the onboarding experience for our automotive customers as well as our internal teams. He also answers some of the age old questions we always ask, including how onboarding helps other teams (and how you can help them!). Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Laura Clapp, EVP of Media and Customer Retention, has been with the company for 10 years — and when you hear about her career path, you'll understand that the role she's currently in could not be more of a perfect fit. Laura shares details about both Media and Customer Retention Teams, including some of their biggest challenges, which also happen to be some of the things Laura is most excited about. She also discusses how her teams support sales and conversely how sales can support her teams. But there's so much more. Laura holds her teams in such high regard, we dare you not to be inspired after tuning in.

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Justin Carter and Kristopher Peterson help kick off PRIDE month with a discussion on the origin of PRIDE — and what our company is doing to celebrate this very important month. They also share details of the PRIDE ERG, how you can get involved, and what you can do to promote an LGBT+ positive/aware workplace and community. Tune in for dates, details, and so much more. Be sure to check out the available resources below! PRIDE Sharepoint: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/morale-pride_brg Email: prideerg@ansira.com Ally Training: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/SitePages/ALLYTraining.aspx

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Peter Drennan discusses his Conversation Starter slide for May: "Service and Parts Department Time to Shine," which includes tips, tricks, questions, and resources. A special thanks to the team responsible for putting our Conversation Starter slides together for May: Alexis Harste, Cody Colella, Sarah Roberts, Peter Drennan, Carlo Lopez, and Heather Grady.

See a Slide you Really Like? Give the Content Creator some Cheers Points!https://cheers.kazoohr.com/dashboard Find the complete deck, full of inspiration here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Victoria Peltier (Dealer Group Account Manager) and Erik Dorrough (Account Executive) discuss Tailored Experiences (what were previously referred to as “Personalization.”) They share how they explain Tailored Experiences to current and potential customers, why our customers should (and do!) care about this, and what some of the most frequently asked questions are. They also go over the resources they use, how tailored experiences set us apart, as well as how what we’re doing is different from our competitors. Tune in for more great insight and inspiration.

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Sukumar Muthya, EVP of Ansira's Integrated Loyalty Services, explains what Integrated Loyalty Services actually means and provides an overview of each of the teams that are under that umbrella. He shares his background (including his 26 years in MarTech), his thoughts on the challenges he sees in the industry today, and he imparts wisdom on some of the best career advice he's ever received. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Justin Carter, DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Partner with Ansira, shares information about training opportunities for DE&I in part two of our interview. He also discusses the various Employee Resource Groups (ERG) Ansira has available and who can participate (you!) — as well as upcoming events.

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Heidi Brooks, SVP of Ansira Edge product, shares details of both her professional and personal background and spends time explaining her teams, what they're working on, who the end users of their product are, as well as a few of the cool things we have to look forward to (you'll just have to listen!). She also explains the different instances of Edge (stay tuned for more — we'll dive even deeper in future episodes) and her philosophy on product. Be sure to listen until the end because she has some fun facts about her teams, including who ate a whole package of Oreos in under five minutes! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Steve Valutis and Shawn O are in the hot seat today, providing important reminders for sales on our website program, Rep Man, and the importance of advertising for Fixed Ops (based on info from NADA Data). OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Electric Vehicles (EV) continue to rise in popularity. Given that fact, how should we be speaking with our customers about them? ARE EV an important part of their strategy — or are they not even on their radar? Senior Digital Performance Strategist Cody Colella joins me to talk all things EV, including dealer sentiment, what the market is interested in, website strategy, and a lot of the questions we can be asking to get the electric vehicle conversation rolling.

Here are some great EV slides to help you even more: EV Slides_.pptx Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Courtney Acuff, Megan Duran, Amie Carlson, and Brandon Baker walk through the responsibilities that fall under the marketing umbrella, including Product Marketing, Internal Communications, Social, and PR (for starters). In addition to sharing their backgrounds and responsibilities, they also talk about how the marketing team measures success, what sort of events Ansira has done, and the headway we've made from a Product Marketing standpoint. Stay tuned for part two, in which we'll discuss our social media and websites strategies — and what you'll be surprised to know about this team!

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Erik Dorrough (AE) and Brian Randio (DOC) share stories of how they win in the Nissan channel through their strong sales and consulting partnership. They talk about when, how frequently, and why they work together — but there's so much more. Erick goes into the prep work that he does prior to engaging with a Nissan customer and Brian shares how he stays up to speed with Sincro website and advertising enhancements. He also talks about how he introduces Sincro as a solution while maintaining a product agnostic status. Both Brian and Erick have some wonderful insights on how to continue success in the Nissan channel, so tune in for more.

If you need a refresher on our consulting team, listen to our interview with Dennis Mosser (found here.)

ROBBMAC and Milan Golusin share updates in the GM world. First, ROBBMAC provides details on the D2C2 migration process, including how many dealers have NOT migrated and what the next steps are for those folks. Milan has exciting news about Buick GMC's first national dealer meeting in a few years, taking place in Las Vegas. We'll be at Booth 10 - so tell our customers!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials

Justin Carter, DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Partner with Ansira, shares his career path and history — which led him to the perfect position he's in today. He explains where DE&I falls within the Ansira organization, how the company is prioritizing its DE&I efforts, what EXACTLY Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means, and most importantly: how you can support the efforts and be an ally. Stay tuned for part two in which we'll talk about training opportunities, ERGs, events, and so much more. https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DEIPortal

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KJ Sands shares the details of her 12 years with Ansira — beginning as an individual contributor via acquisition and going all the way up to her current role as CMO. She breaks down her four key teams of Marketing, Growth Ops, Growth Leads, as well as Strategic Partnerships, and explains them all with savoir faire and passion. But that's not all! KJ also reveals her personal (more Peloton) and business goals: Get Back to Winning. Tune in for SO. MUCH. MORE: Wisdom, insight, excitement, passion, authenticity, and humanity for starters. She is super passionate about the employee journey, career growth, and our biggest growth opportunity right now (you'll have to listen!). We covered a lot of territory, so we've broken down the episode into two parts. In part one, you'll find her background, organization breakdown and goals. In part two, you'll learn more about her passion for onboarding, her philosophy on work-life balance, what she'd like you to know about her teams, and more. (Part 1 was released on Tuesday, 3/29)

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Lauraliisa Gudgeon, Maggie Fairbanks, and Paige Shearer tell us about the Growth Operations team (will falls under KJ's org) — and get into the details of how they coordinate everything to win new business. But that's far from all! They also share their career paths, a few of their favorite clients (though it's very hard to choose just one!), tips and tricks on closing business, and what their day to day looks like (including how it supports revenue). Keep your ears open for Lauraliisa's Ansira elevator pitch — it may be one of the best we've heard so far.

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KJ Sands shares the details of her 12 years with Ansira — beginning as an individual contributor via acquisition and going all the way up to her current role as CMO. She breaks down her four key teams of Marketing, Growth Ops, Growth Leads, as well as Strategic Partnerships, and explains them all with savoir faire and passion. But that's not all! KJ also reveals her personal (more Peloton) and business goals: Get Back to Winning. Tune in for SO. MUCH. MORE: Wisdom, insight, excitement, passion, authenticity, and humanity for starters. She is super passionate about the employee journey, career growth, and our biggest growth opportunity right now (you'll have to listen!). We covered a lot of territory, so we've broken down the episode into two parts. In part one, you'll find her background, organization breakdown and goals. In part two, you'll learn more about her passion for onboarding, her philosophy on work-life balance, what she'd like you to know about her teams, and more. (Part two comes out Wednesday, 3/30!)

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Joe Malvezzi, SVP of Client Services, shares a bit of his background as well as who his team is and what they are up to. Joe goes on to explain who some of Ansira's clients are and how we support them. He has a wealth of knowledge, insight, and wisdom — so tune in for more about his team and some bonus tips on how Ansirans can keep morale high and stay connected. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Angie Cordova, VP or Product at Sincro, tells us all about herself and her team, including many of the cool things that they're working on (GRACE, the Reach tool, Lead Insights, and Virtual Vehicles just to name a few). She also explains the process her teams use to organize their projects, who they work with, and whether or not there's any opportunity to move into the non-auto space (Spoiler Alert: there is!). Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Erin Zaborac, Jason Jewert, and Colleen Harris share details of the three AWA awards that Sincro (and Colleen!) won this year. This is incredibly exciting news for us as the wins help further establish Sincro as a cutting edge, thought-leading business that continues to place its customers first. Erin and Jason also spoke a bit about their experience at NADA this year. Tune in for more details and inspiration.(Editor's Note: I said "American Web Awards" In the intro... I meant Automotive Web Awards.)

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Dennis Mosser, Director of Consulting at Sincro, tells us all about the Consulting team, including who they work with and what they're up to. He also shares some of the wins we've had as a result of our DMC (Digital Marketing Consultants) working with AE (Account Executives). Finally, he discusses plans to expand the consulting program to other OEM and how you, dear listener can help.

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Watch this video for more on the Nissan Consulting group.

Dennis Mosser, Director of Consulting at Sincro, tells us all about the Consulting team, including who they work with and what they're up to. He also shares some of the wins we've had as a result of our DMC (Digital Marketing Consultants) working with AE (Account Executives). Finally, he discusses plans to expand the consulting program to other OEM and how you, dear listener can help.

You can also watch a video of Dennis providing an overview of the Nissan program here.

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John Stark provides an overview of how NADA went for Sincro this year — and suffice it to say, it went very well. Dealers gave positive feedback and kept touting what a great partner Sincro is. They're also very excited about our virtual vehicles! The experience was energizing,overwhelmingly positive, and successful. Tune in for more!

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While there is still no date on Google Analytics updating to V4, Sincro's own award-winning Google Whisperer's Tip for this month is to set up your sandbox and start playing around. Don't upgrade your properties quite yet - but do allow yourself some practice time before the ramp up period.

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The Ad Intelligence team is a fairly small (they joke that they're a "secret") group within Channel Partner Marketing that does A LOT of important work for our clients, including VW, Nissan, Serta Simmons, and Harley-Davidson. Jason Huber, Donna Chilton, Amanda Stevens, and Ashlynn Payne join this episode to explain who they are and what exactly they do here at Ansira. They have great vibes and so many experiences that make them proud, we're willing to be that hearing what they have to say will make you feel proud to be an Ansiran too.

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Rob McFarland and Kelly Dirie both submitted successful ideas during the 2021 IDEA-A-THON, so they have a lot of wisdom for those of you who are considering submitting an idea this year. Tune in to hear what they liked best about being involved (community and network-building, for starters), what surprised them about being involved, and many of the things to keep in mind after you've submitted your idea. Need more resources? Check these out

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To know Shawn Jeffcoat, VP of the Client Success Org, is to love her. And the moment you listen to this episode, you'll agree. Shawn shares not only what she does, but who she IS — which is so refreshing and inspirational. She goes on to explain the roles and teams that are part of Client Success, and why it makes so much sense that they're all grouped together. She encourages each one of us to be open, reach across the aisle, and get to know one another because we all have a lot to learn from each other. Tune in for more wisdom and input from Shawn.

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The purpose of the Conversation Starters deck is to help you engage in meaningful, consultative conversations with your dealerships. The Conversation Starter team puts together relevant and timely slides intended to help you build stronger relationships with your clients. This month, Sarah Roberts discusses the importance of the Network Benchmark Data our BI team compiles. Not only can it be helpful for a dealer to know more about how they're doing regionally, but they'll be able to look at how their performance falls in a national context. Sarah shares tips you can offer for dealers that may be struggling, and shares a whole bunch of other wonderful insights. Tune in for more!

Find the March deck here.

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Scott Blaufeux and Alexis Harste have wonderful advice on the first thing to look at when you get a new account, and it's all about making metadata updates on profit-center pages. Scott has even created a customizable template to make your life easier! Follow along by watching the video below, or simply tune in for the walk-through. Watch the Walk-Through Here Profit Center Metadate Template Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Ansira's Channel Partner Marketing (or CPM) team members are on the front lines working with our customers. A little bit account management, a dash of customer satisfaction, they could be considered as the heart and soul of Ansira. Although, each and every one of us are certainly part of the collective heart and soul!

In this interview, we talk with four CPM team members to find out more about their roles, their challenges, successes, and proud moments. The biggest takeaway may be their passion, dedication, and patience. Tune in to learn more.

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Idea-A-Thon chairs Betsy Petko and Heather Grady join the show to explain what (and when!) Idea-A-Thon is, why it's so exciting, and how you can get involved. Tune in to find out more about the history of this event and some of Heather and Betsy's favorite ideas. Visit the page here.

Submit your ideas here!

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I recently sat down with Joe Luxe to discuss updates to GM's D2C2 enrollment process. During our time, he covered when the cutoff for enrollment is, how dealers will be impacted if they DON'T re-enroll, where to check the status of a dealer, as well as a really exciting enhancement in SIM as DVIM. https://mebo.digops.sincro.io/items/4868 https://mebo.digops.sincro.io/items/4955

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John Stark provides Ford updates, including 2022 model releases, upcoming promotions, and much more — including why it's a good time to be a Ford dealer, or any dealer for that matter. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials

Amber Boesen shares JLR information, including vendor changes in the program and package updates. She then goes on to underscore the importance of gaining more MINI business: We need five more accounts by the end of March! Finally, she walks us through Infiniti training updates and QBR news.

OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials

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The purpose of the Conversation Starters deck is to help you engage in meaningful, consultative conversations with your dealerships. The Conversation Starter team puts together relevant and timely slides intended to help you build stronger relationships with your clients.

This month, Alexis Harste gives us a holistic overview of all the content you can find -- and there's a lot! She covers network benchmark data, decreased advertising spend, EV market updates, GM's new online used car shopping site, the Chevy Spark, goal setting, GBP, and enhancements. Don't forget to check the notes portion of the deck for a TON of great guiding questions.

Thank you to the conversation starters team for putting this together: Sarah Roberts, Peter Drennan, Cody Colella, Aaron Harris, Carlo Lopez, and (of course!) Alexis Harste

Here's a link to the deck!

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Colleen Harris provides Google Analytics inspiration for the month: Check the landing page URLs of where your advertising (or other) campaigns are going. It's really easy to pull a report in GA, and our very own Google Whisperer walks you through it. If a dealer has questions about where their campaign traffic is going, point them to their advertising providers. Also! if you were unable to attend the Google Analytics clinic, check out the recording and deck in our resources.

Deck
Google Analytics Goals Check List
Recording

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New Year, new series title. It's the same "You've Got Five Minutes" format you've come to love, but with a sassy new name! Dennis Mosser providers Nissan updates for February, including details on four 2022 model launches, The Thrill of the Drive promotion, Buy at Home enrollments, and more. Important PSA: The Nissan DMC are generating quite a few lead opportunities, so if you're not collaborating with them now, you should be!

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Peter Drennan discusses the success he's had with two of his dealers by implementing the lessons learned from "Creating Better Content," a slide he created for December's Conversation Starters. After sharing the six specific needs of consumers with his dealers, he created more robust and streamlined certified service pages. The results he saw are impressive, to say the least. Tune in for more details and inspiration. And don't forget to check out the slide!

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New Year, New Conversation Starters! Each month, a different member of the Conversation Starter team will be joining me to walk us through the slide they put together. For our January edition, DPS Team Lead Carlo Lopez reviews new enhancements to share with our dealers. On slide 10, he has a roll-up (condensed) version and then drills down to an individual slide on each enhancement with greater detail.

Other topics for this month include benchmark data, brand loyalty, conquesting, industry trends and more. Find the deck here.

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Leah Caglio walks through updates on Google Business Profile (which was formerly known as Google My Business. But get in the practice of never uttering those words again!). While not a lot has changed, Leah does explain a few things such as a vicinity update and a renewed focus on secondary and department listings. She then goes on to walk through a few strategy adjustments we are making to our support as a result of these algorithm changes. Finally, she reviews some updates in Google Cars for Sale (which is in pilot and will remain that way for a while.)

Check back soon for the one pager and customer-facing documents Leah mentioned!

Editor's note: Any mention on WPM should be DPS! We apologize for the error.

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Tune in for the latest on Jaguar Land Rover including our program overview, webinar information, co-op information, and a refresher on the Shift order process. Then check out all the supporting resources we have available. If you were unable to attend the January 10th G.A.S Station meeting, you can find the recording here.

Here is the deck: Gas Station Deck 01.10.2022.pptx

Jaguar Land Rover Brand Immersion

Developing a Luxury Strategy Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey

Paul Samione and the BI team pull together monthly insights and key data points, which Paul shares via email. While they continue to refine and modify how the email is put together, it CAN be a bit daunting. Tune in for the broad strokes of what they share and then check out our attached resource to take a deeper dive. If you have any success stories you'd like to share of conversations you've had or strategies you've implemented from information provided in the monthly network trends email, we'd love to hear from you.

january network trends.docx

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Deana Bonetto and Tony Downs join me to discuss Sincro's Influential Team, including the considerations for a dealer to be served by them (there are MANY!), how the level of support differs, what sales should keep in mind, and how this team is partnering with sales, product, operations, and so many others to ensure continued success and growth.

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Colleen Harris, Sincro's resident Google Whisperer, reviews the two key metrics to look at if you are concerned that a site may have been impacted by Google's algorithm updates. Mainly: Make sure there haven't been significant drops in organic traffic or impressions in the Google Search Console. For a more in-depth discussion on the topic, watch her previous webinar: The A-Z of Google Updates.

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Steve Valutis provides year-end updates for GM in practically five minutes flat! He thanks sales for all their hard work, shares that we are (finally!) nearing the end of migration, and reviews hot conversation topics for GM dealers including the DDC prospecting list, SFE and RepMan, and the Google Business Profile pilot.

Don't forget to check out these resources and stats: GM December 2021 Resources.docx

Peter Drennan, Sarah Roberts, Cody Colella, Marchette Stamps, and Carlo Lopez created five wonderful Conversation Starter slides for the month of December. Join Heidi Suke as she walks you through building better content, promoting holiday offers, chip shortage updates, building why buy messaging, and the importance of aligning creative — all in just about five minutes. Access all the wonderful content here.

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If you've only got five minutes and need to know exactly what Digital Performance Strategists do and why they're such an invaluable asset to Sincro, then look no further. Christina Rosenbach, AVP of Digital Agency, eloquently and concisely answers those very questions.

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Phil DeSharnais, Nolan Hoiness, Javon Williams, Cody Colella, Fred Smalls, Sarah Warren, andJerry Buerger describe the role of the Digital Performance Strategist and clarify how it's different from previous iterations of their role (for starters: it takes a much more holistic approach to working with a dealer on their website strategy). They go on to share successes (relationship building) and challenges (there's a LOT to learn) they have had in transitioning to the DPS role. Tune in for perspective on how they see themselves and how sales can help.

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Joey Del Re explains what the Strat List is — which, in a nutshell, is a repository of tried and tested digital marketing strategies. While it was started by SEO analysts, it made the merge (Survivor reference!) to DPS and is really intended for any digital marketer. There are SEO strategies as well as WPM ones, and perhaps one day we'll have some advertising Strategies on their too. Do you have something you've done for your dealer that was really successful? Add it to the Strat List! Either reach out to Joey or fill out the form at the bottom of the Strat List, which lives here.

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Randal Gullette shares some important reminders when engaging with dealerships undergoing buy/sells — and offers great tips on how Sales can best support them. She discusses Ignite SEO, Enhanced GMB, Social Suite, YouTube, and other important considerations to help these (current or future) customers bolster their brand.

Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Milan Golusin provides updates on Chevy sales (down) and promotions (not as exciting as they were last year), D2C2 progress (impressive!), and a (very exciting!) Google Business Listing pilot we are working on with GM that could potentially lead to our Enhanced product being co-op eligible for Chevy dealers. The results of the pilot thus far are impressive — tune in for more!

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials

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Wanda Leung, Alicia Petit, and Michelle Hertz are here to talk about the recently launched (and SUPER exciting) Sincro Studies. Wanda walks us through what exactly these Sincro Studies are and what inspired them to start the project, Michelle from BI shares what they've done so far — and how these improve our strategies and make our websites better, and finally: Alicia explains where these live, how people should use them, and what they'll be tackling in the future. If you have an idea that you'd like to see data-backed, reach out using the Marketing Request form below. Check out the studies here. When filling out the Marketing Request form, ensure you choose "Product Marketing" and "websites" so the request goes to the correct team!

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Hillary Linton and Randal Gullette discuss everything you need to know about the Dealer Group space this month, including acquisitions, goal planning, and things that are helpful for sales to know.

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Joe Tarell is here to shepherd you through November’s Conversation Starters deck, which include slides covering '22 GM SFE enrollment, why now is a good time to buy, chip shortage improvements, Google Business Profile updates, and as always — so much more. Thanks to Joe for his insight and expertise and to the folks who put these slides together: Peter Drennan, Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, and Aaron Harris. Here are those slides (don't forget to look at the notes!) Conversation Starters - November 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx

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It's our second takeover episode supporting Black Health Awareness Week. Jasmine Clair (whose interviewing chops are beginning to rival Oprah's) and Fred Smalls (you asked for him, we answered!) discuss the Black Voices ERG, including why it was created and what they set out to do. Fred and Jasmine share personal experiences and stories related to both physical and mental health. This week, they hope to shine a light on issues specific to the black community. Enjoy this captivating and important episode.

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Jasmine Clair guest hosts this special edition episode of the Digital Download Podcast, in which she interviews Arthur John. Listen in to learn more about Arthur, including his various roles within — as well as how long he's been with — the company, what challenges he experiences working from home as opposed to being in the office, and things he does to manage a healthy work/life balance. He shares some wonderful personal stories and insight that are well worth tuning in for.

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Amber Boesen has the scoop on November promotions for our brands in the Shift channel, including VW, Mazda Infiniti, MINI, and BMW. Check out all the GTM updates here.

OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Andrea Reese is here with her bi-monthly Buick GMC updates, of which there are quite a few! Andrea shares details of the 2022 Sierra (which sounds REALLY cool, to be honest), the national advertising program, loyalty purchase offers, and inventory levels (which are, perhaps unsurprisingly, low). On top of the white papers and resources Andrea mentioned, find additional support for low inventory solutions in our LMS.

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Colleen Harris shares information on Google changing the name of "Google My Business" to "Google Business Profile." Basically, they want to sound fancier. However, there are a few key things to keep in mind, so tune in to hear how this impacts Sincro and our customers as well as when this change will take place. (Soon, if not now in some cases.)

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John Stark has a few key points to discuss in November's Ford updates: The promotional calendar for the remainder of the year (Get Holiday Ready, Black Friday, Final Days), primary focus models (F-150, Bronco Sport, and Expedition), and how the advertising exception process works (remember: We can sell advertising to Ford dealers, we just need to get a blessing from Ford Direct first.)OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials

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Dennis Mosser shares Nissan updates for the month of November, including information about their new online programs Drive@Home, Buy@Home, and Service@Home. He also provides details on Nissan sales events, the Ariya reservation page, and Nissan Heisman House. OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Buy@Home: https://www.banisternissanofchesapeake.com/nissan-buy-at-home

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We now understand why our social media presence is so important, thanks to a previous podcast with Amie Carlson and Kelly Dirie. But some of us may be at a loss as to how we can help it grow. Join Sincro's Social Superheroes Maddie Meyers, Christina Rosenbach, Kristin Falck, and Colleen Harris as they tell success stories of how they've engaged with social media in a meaningful and authentic way. What's interesting is how different -- yet equally impactful -- each tale they tell is. Gather 'round for ideas, inspiration, and the opportunity to hear what some of Sincro's super-talented women have to say.

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Shawn O, Steve Valutis, Audrey McKasy, and Erin Zaborac talk all things GM SFE and RepMan. Shawn and Steve set the stage by first defining WHAT SFE and RepMan are and then go on to discuss its importance, why dealers should care, why YOU should care, and how DAA are supporting all these efforts.

Here's the one pager with the pricing breakdown:

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/GM%20Repman.aspx

And here are some handy proof points:

https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/leah_caglio_sincrodigital_com/EckVWWkhLBhKiXzEU9nvxewBIAOLk0mAwCb-czVy8-_cgQ

As well as the Rep Man website: https://www.sincrodigital.com/reputation-management/enrollment

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The Growth Team is a new Advertising team that's dedicated to supporting our less engaged customers that have an opportunity to grow. The team, comprised of three tenured Account Managers, provide a better customer experience and are working to increase both spend and engagement with their 190 accounts. Tune in to hear Mary Frye and Audrey McKasy explain why the team was created, what constitutes being considered a growth account, what the team's goals are, and so much more.

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Sincro's SVP of the Digital Agency team Laura Clapp explains which teams fall under the umbrella of "Digital Agency" (quite a few, actually!) and shares the details of her (almost!) ten year's worth of experience with the company. Laura also addresses the challenges we are currently facing in the automotive industry and what her vision is for her teams in the near term. We also address (and celebrate!) the amazing retention we've had over the past quarter, and to what she attributes that success. Tune in for our interview with the eloquent and visionary SVP of Agency.

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Scott Knupfer breaks down the teams that fall under the umbrella of Sincro's Sales & Consulting org, of which he's the SVP. He goes on to share their biggest opportunities and challenges. One of our favorite pieces of wisdom he imparts is on the importance of educating yourself on our company and the industry. Invest in yourself because your knowledge base is your value! Tune in for more wisdom and insight from one of Sincro's senior leaders. Whether you're a tenured associate or brand new (welcome!), this is worth a listen.

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Casey Pilgrim, Shirley Johnson, Leah Tyson, Kelly Petersen, and Christine Carter discuss the new AE Field dashboard, including Casey's inspiration for creating the tool and what the general consensus is on it (spoiler alert: everyone loves it!). Shirley reveals that it gives her a reality check to show her exactly where she stands, and Kelly loves that she can see right away where to focus her energies and how to plan for her week. It's important to remember that Casey built this tool to help YOU, dear listener, so if there's anything you'd like to see changed or added, please let him know!

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You know when Steve Valutis is on the show, we're never going to be able to keep things to five minutes. But that is A-OK because he always has relevant, interesting GM updates. For our October episode, he shares D2C2 progress (which is really impressive because our team has this process down to a science!), win back opportunities (of which there are a lot), and program opportunities for 2022, including the fact that we're going to be getting back into the RepMan game. A little foggy on the subject? Fear not, you have time to brush up as they haven't yet announced when enrollment will begin.

A month or so ago, Joe Tarell encouraged us to read this Wall Street Journal article. You may have opened it up and thought to yourself that It's dauntingly long, so we'd like to gather you all together for grown-up circle time. Tune in to hear about what the future of the automotive industry might look like. Here's a copy of the article, for your reference.

Colleen Harris comes at us with a TWO-FOR-ONE special episode this month where the Google Whisperer and the Torque Team worlds collide. For this month, It's all things Google My Business.

In her upcoming webinar, she will be talking about who should OWN the GMB profile, categories, analytics, proper tagging, and so much more. The Torque Team has a strong focus because of all the feedback we're receiving from dealers. Tune in for more details and don’t forget to register at least THREE of your dealers for Colleen's webinar on the 21st. Here's the link! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

John Stark is back with the scoop on Ford, with a lot of updates (since it’s been a few months, my apologies!). He shares that Ford wants to change the way their company is perceived by Wall Street to more of a software developer and less of a manufacturer. He gives details on Ford Direct’s advertising program (namely that we won’t be in it in 2022), but we can still provide advertising through our exception process. Finally, he reviews the key focus models, which include F-150 (shocking!), the Maverick, and the Bronco.

Thirsty for more? Check out these additional resources:OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Brad Somervell and Randal Gullette discuss what's going on in the world of Dealer Groups, including all of the acquisitions and consolidations happening right now (it's crazy!) — which in many cases will mean great opportunities for us. It's also a reminder to read this article, if you haven't already.) They go on to reinforce what we know to be true with much of the industry: Dealer Groups are pivoting to focus on their brand, community involvement, used inventory, and good old fixed operations. Get inspiration on how to support those efforts with these two podcasts on Fixed Ops strategies and Community Involvement.

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Joe Tarell is here to shepherd you through October’s Conversation Starters deck, which include slides covering lease return strategies, website synchronization, leveraging SEO during times of low new vehicle inventory, increasing vehicle engagement and leads, and a new type of advertising with Google . Thanks to Joe for his insight and expertise and to the folks who put these slides together: Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris.

Access the slides here

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Wanda Leung shares the details of Microsoft discontinuing IE11 beginning next year and explains why (in the parlance of Martha Stewart) it’s a good thing. She goes on to share how this will impact Sincro customers (meh, it won’t really) and what percentage of website visitors within the Sincro network even USE IE11 (it’s a staggeringly small number!) Tune in for the details and find the supporting FAQ document here.

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Heather Bildner and Randal Gullette join this month’s episode with some topics to help get to know your dealers better as well as inspiring strategies to implement once you do. Historically, when we think “Why Buy,” we think of why customers should buy cars from a certain location, but it’s so much more than that. What are your dealers doing for community outreach? How are they connecting with their potential customers? Tune in to discover what Heather is doing for a few of her customers to promote their charitable outreach, then learn the questions to ask your dealers so you can do the same.

Share Sincro Cares with your dealers.

Here are some of Heather's community involvement pages: https://www.southwestnissantx.com/community-involvementhttps://www.pegasuschevytexas.com/cars-and-coffee-ennis-tx

Milan Golusin provides Chevrolet news, not ALL of which are bleak (though it certainly may seem that way at the beginning of our chat). The Volt recalls have had a major impact on sales, and even though Chevy is down this quarter, they are still up 6% year over year. In lighter news, Milan provides updates on incentives for the remainder of the year, how D2C2 and SIM as DVIM migrations are going, as well as what we have to offer Chevy dealers when it comes to the Above the Fold project (lots of flexibility and support, for starters!). Thirsty for more? Check out these additional resources:OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Kate Swegles is back to discuss Cadillac updates, including their main vehicle focus (the 2023 Lyriq!), October APR offers, Cadillac Live, and a new competitive chart, coming soon. (Check back for the link if it’s not here now!) Thirsty for more? Check out these additional resources:

OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Kristin Falck joins me in this very important episode in which we discuss the changes that occurred within Facebook Marketplace last month. She very clearly walks us through what’s changed with the vehicle catalog, what we can no longer do (and how that impacts dealers), and why we are so well-positioned to help our dealers succeed despite the changes. Do I sound vague? OF COURSE, because it’s better to just listen to what Kristin has to say! She’ll also discuss Social Suite and how our solution is different (read: better) than anything our competitors have to offer. Thirsty for more? Check out these additional resources:Marketplace Changes FAQMarketplace Changes BlogInternal Social Suite product training21-1201_Sincro_Advertising and Social Suite Proof Statement.pdfSocial Suite One-Sheet

In the September roll-up, Joe tackles Big Picture topics of conversation we should be having with our customers, including what they’re doing to prepare for the future and how they’re handling online shopping. He also discusses an article he believes EVERYONE should read (so if you haven’t yet, find it here.)

As always, we are so grateful to Louis Goldobin for curating all of the amazing automotive industry and digital marketing articles – and to Joe for demystifying them. Explore previous Conversation Starter episodes here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey!

Dennis Mosser shares information on what’s top of mind with Nissan right now (Chips! Inventory!), such as in-store processes and sales/service satisfaction (for which they’ve made many improvements). He also touches on the efforts to support our sales team with those prospecting emails he mentioned last month. Finally, Dennis covers promotions and key models for the remainder of the year, including the Frontier truck and Aria, Nissan’s all-electric SUV (reserve it soon!). Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

OEM Support Matrix

Selling and Brand Resources

Customer Facing Materials

Alexis Harste always has more ideas than you can shake a digital marketing stick at when it comes to optimizing a dealer’s website. In this episode, she shares her tips on which buttons to put where on the Vehicle Search Results and Vehicle Details pages – and what to get rid of. Need to revisit the information because there’s just so much?! You can find it all in this Teams conversation! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Randy Christenhusz and Allegra Rosenbaum discuss what inspired them to start these monthly sessions (hellloooo global pandemic) and what you can expect when you attend them. The sessions are held monthly and topics include time management, boundary setting, and what exactly mental health means — especially within the work place. If you have an idea for a future topic, feel free to let them know as they’re more than willing to accommodate! And if you’d like to listen to Randy’s podcast, you can find it here (or listen on any of your usual podcast applications.

Here's the calendar invite for their session being held on October 15th!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

It’s been just over one year since we’ve forged our partnership with accessiBe, and during that time we’ve had a drastic reduction in escalations (thanks to the litigation support, no doubt!). Tune in for more updates from Jason Jewert Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Joe Tarell is here to shepherd you through September’s Conversation Starters deck, which include slides covering the upcoming changes to FB Marketplace, Commercial vehicle business, Pinterest advertising, cross-shopping, portals, and in-transit inventory . Thanks to Joe for his insight and expertise and to the folks who put these slides together: Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris. Access the slides here:

Conversation Starters - September 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Colleen Harris knows how to read the Google tea leaves, as she confesses in today’s episode. Remember when we were all concerned how website ranking would be impacted based on the Core Web Vitals update? After checking on 2500 keywords, SEM Rush determined that (SPOILER ALERT) rankings were NOT impacted! How ya like them apples? Listen for more details from our luminary Google Whisperer and check out the article here: https://www.semrush.com/blog/core-web-vitals-update-initial-impact/ Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Jon Quade is here to save the day with inspiration and key talking points to discuss with any (current – but especially potential!) dealer, using Louis Goldobin’s weekly emails as the igniting spark. Did you know that Owner Marketing is a great solution for any dealer because (insert dramatic pause here) it’s FIVE TIMES less expensive to keep a customer than it is to conquest a new one?! Tune in for that AND more amazing gems. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Joe Lux is back with updates on the number of dealers we now have live (it’s quite remarkable and kudos to everyone who helped to make it happen!). He also gets into the details of what’s changed when it comes to inventory in transit as well as specials updates. Finally, he shares the current and future status of offer IDs. If you have issues with specials not going live or vehicles missing from inventory, email d2c2@gm.com. If you have questions or need support with either, take advantage of this new Teams channel, set up just for you! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

We know staying on top of Louis Goldobin’s weekly emails can be daunting, so consider this your highlight reel for the month of August. Joe Tarell digests and synthesizes what he believes will be the most impactful articles and facts to consider when engaging with your dealer, including Ford’s electric truck, OTT, phone calls, and how Ford’s online ordering affects dealers and their real estate. As always, we are so grateful to Louis for curating all of the amazing automotive industry and digital marketing articles – and to Joe for demystifying them. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

If you’ll recall from our first Account Manager episode with Randal Gullette, the Account Manager team is up to some innovative things. This month, she and Lauren Black talk about the interesting strategies they’re implementing with their customers to pivot the focus to Fixed Operations. From leveraging customer data in the DMS to adding local campaigns to a dealer’s GMB listing, you’ll learn more about new and exciting ways to support your dealer’s fixed operations strategies. Tune in for the details and inspiration.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

You can always count on Alexis Harste for inspiring ideas to help optimize your dealer’s website. In today’s episode, she talks about the Engagement Map – and four simple changes you can make on your dealer’s homepage that will surely lead to success (she’s already done the leg work for us!), including inventory search, key CTA’s, custom offers, and (crowd favorite) the vehicle showcase wrapper. Tune in for more details and check out examples below:

4 CTA/ Buttons that lay 2x2 on mobile: https://www.npchevy.com/Titles removed from the Inventory Search Bar on homepage: https://www.lindsaybuickgmctruck.com/ and https://www.colonialsouthchevy.com/

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Amber Boesen is up to bat in our Five Minute series, and she has the scoop on new model releases, focus vehicles, and the importance of selling the Sincro story to brands in the Shift channel, including VW, Infiniti, MINI, and BMW (who should be our primary focus!) Dealers are getting complacent, so it’s time to start “poking the bear” as they say – and for BMW, discussing that Provider Performance Review is a great start. Listen for more. OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Steve Valutis updates us on D2C2 migration progress, shares details of some email FUD (Fear! Uncertainty! Doubt!) from Dealer Dot Com and Dealer Inspire sales folks, and reveals what we’ve got in store for targeting our competitor's customers. He covers a lot of territory, so be sure to check out the companion document below: Here’s a document with all the emails Steve referenced during the episode.

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Dennis Mosser shares a LOT in this month’s five minute updates, including the details of Nissan’s current promotional events, which models just launched (and are on fire!), updates on the LMS we created for Nissan dealers to support their certification for lead management, the scoop on our websites program, and information on the series of prospecting emails Sincro is sending out to win more Nissan business. OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer Facing Materials Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Colleen Harris addresses the important question of who should own each of the three major Google properties: Google Analytics, Google Ads (paid), and Google Search Console (Organic). Tune in for her response – and if you still have questions make sure you (and your dealers!) are registered for her upcoming Webinar on GA 4 on Wednesday, August 25th at 10am PST. Register here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Kristin Callahan shares information on what’s going on in the Hyundai world, including their record-breaking sales and upcoming new model releases in this special edition episode. She shares which Hyundai dealers we should be focusing our efforts on – and why they would benefit from switching to Sincro. Tune in for that and more – and keep an eye out for an upcoming immersion for even more information from Kristin and Jason Jewert. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

OEM Support Matrix Selling and Brand Resources Customer-Facing Materials

Erin Zaborac shares details of what our Thought Leaders are up to this month, including the newest white papers (find them here) and our latest webinars (also here). Are you interested in joining the Torque Team? You’re in luck, because they’re accepting applications until August 16th! Apply here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Joe Tarell is here to shepherd you through August’s Conversation Starters deck, which include six robust slides that discuss F.T.C’s vote on “Right-to-Repair,” the Google Cars for Sale Pilot, EV Charging Stations, and more. Thanks to Joe for his insight and expertise and to the folks who put these slides together: Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Jeff Pleva, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris. Access the slides here:

Conversation Starters - August 2021 Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Jason Jewert simplifies the recent press release and clarifies what it means for Sincro and our current and future customers. He also shares what client-facing folks should be saying about it and gives some key tips and tricks to sales as well. Re-read the press release here. (Then listen to the podcast for Jason to translate what it all means!) Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Paul Sabovic, Austin Lavier, and Paulette Howard are the stars of this show, and it’s definitely one worth listening to. Implementation — the small but mighty team responsible for building all the products we sell to our customers — is the FIRST IMPRESSION a dealer has of our company. Tune in to find out how they’ve evolved the team, how they help you, and how you can help them ensure we keep offering our dealers a world class experience. But there’s oh-so-much-more to learn. Tune in! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Kristin Callahan shares details of Hyundai’s Gateway Sales event and Genesis’s All Access sales event, going on now through September 6th. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Check out all our OEM-supporting resources:

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterialsOEM Support Matrix: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-Independent-Websites.aspx

Amie Carlson and Kelly Dirie join me to discuss Sincro’s social media efforts – including why our dealers should follow us (we are thought leaders in the industry!) and how you can help us grow our footprint (talk to your dealers! Share on LinkedIn!). They go on to reveal Social best practices and what’s in it for you when you do share (Cheers points!) or get dealers to follow us (more Cheers points!!).

Sign up on Gaggleamp to keep your finger on the pulse every time Sincro posts (it’s super easy!). Find a list of all our Social handles here.

Finally, here’s a great example of one of our Sincro Social Superheroes Maddie Myers touting our brand: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6823327205578412032/! We’ll be talking to her for the inside scoop in the coming weeks, so check back soon for even more on Sincro Social Media. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Randal Gullette spills all the details on the Dealer Group Agency Team, including who they are and what they’re up to. Right now, they’re focused on the hurt so many of our customers are experiencing: Low Inventory. They have a lot of great ideas, and they’re even testing out some new channels like TikTok and Pinterest. Tune in for more on who these powerhouses are and get ready for some inspiration! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Alexis Harste does all the hard work so you don’t have to! Agency friends – if you want to help your customers make the most of their VSR and VDP pages, then this is a must listen. After considerable research and testing, Alexis has fool-proof offerings to help increase leads on these pages. She shares ideas on what to do (and perhaps just as importantly) what NOT to do. From “Click to Call” buttons to important Tertiary Links, she covers all the bases. Take a listen and then make sure to utilize the “Lead Optimization” slide below. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Lead Form.pptx (More info available here)

Audrey McKasy, Christina Rosenbach, and Hillary Linton discuss this internal effort to support our customers. Simply put, Mid-Tier is a customer segment that needs extra care and support. Tune in to find out who these dealers are, what we’ve done to ensure our service aligns to their needs, and how this positions us for continued success in serving both current and future customers. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

In this episode you’ll find tips, tricks, and inspiration for engaging with our customers.DPS Peter Drennan was able to sell PowerSEO to one of his dealers through relationship-building and qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the website and data. Tune in for the details! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

From why dealers really need our Enhanced Google My Business to what we do once they have our service, Melissa Baroni leaves no stone unturned. She explains how GMB works as well as how a dealer’s profile shows up, and also reviews the things that impact a profile’s performance. If you’re still craving more, be sure to check out her deck (which is constantly evolving) and Confluence, listed below. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

2021-07-23 Digital Download Podcast Enhanced GMB.pdf

https://confluence.sincrod.com/display/NAC/Enhanced+GMB+Listing+Management

Andrea Reese shares updates on Buick and GMC, including news on the Hummer EV, the AT4 lineup, inventory levels, sales, and great example sites to show your dealers. Don’t forget about our demo sites, either. There’s one for Buick, one for GMC, and a BG combo, all beautiful and worth showing potential customers: https://demo.sincrowebsites.com/link-glossary/demo-sites#close everettbgmc.comlaurabuickgmc.comcolandreabuickgmc.comparkwaybuickgmc.comDon't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

We officially have 200 Ford sites live – hooray! And the momentum is going to continue. John Stark shares great advice on how we can continue to win more Ford business – tune in for the scoop.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx

Steve Valutis has a LOT of great updates in the GM network (so forgive us that we go a few minutes over the usually allotted 5!), including SIM, D2C2, our targeted marketing campaign against the competition, and solutions to help dealers with low inventory (Read and share this white paper). See some examples of great GM websites below, he knows you’ve been hungry for them!

Sincro Chevy Demo Site - https://chevy.sincrowebsites.com/
Sincro Design Collection - https://www.sincroportfolios.com/designcollection/gm
Chevy w/ strong dealer customization - https://www.kuhiomotors.net/
Chevy w/ strong dealer customization - https://www.sandsglendale.com/
Chevy w/ a clean customization - https://www.genesischevrolet.com/
BG w/ customization - https://www.parkwaybuickgmc.com/
Multiline w/ customization -

Kate Swegles shares details on next year’s launch of Cadillac’s EV “Lyric,” and goes on to review the myriad promotions they have going on in this and coming months. She also discusses their new Premium Pick-up Service, Competitive Comparison Pages, Cadillac Live, and so much more. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here. Additional Resources

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx

We got your attention, right? So here’s the deal: You sell SEO and you sell Website Performance Management. These two products are managed by a Digital Performance Strategist. Are you still confused? Don’t worry, Christina Rosenbach and Luisa Puentes join me to clarify the role and how you should speak to it if you’re in sales. But they share so much more, including how the role has evolved, how it positions Sincro for continued and increased success, and how the DPS are so well prepared to serve our customers. Any podcast with these two powerhouses is definitely worth a listen, so tune in! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Kelli Liddane joins me to explain what Cross-Content Website Copy (talk about a mouthful!) is — and it’s what many of us have been dreaming about for a very long time. Tune in to find out why this is such a great feature to bring up when engaging with potential customers (especially dealer groups!), how much time it saves (85%!!), when we’ll be able to copy whole landing pages (soon-ish), and what resources exist today.

Be sure to watch this Feature Overview and How-To Video, read the MEBO if you have any additional questions, and let our customers know there’s a great Help Topic on the subject as well.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

tips & tricks along with important

MEBO: internal users should read prior to using this new feature:
includes which linked records that are not enabled with this feature

Joe Lux joins us hot of the heels of the GM inventory debacle (which has already been resolved, thank goodness) to share D2C2 and SIM as DVIM updates, including how many dealers and websites have been migrated.

If you have questions or need support with either, take advantage of this new Teams channel, set up just for you!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Additional Resources: this new Teams channel

Will Calpin, Marissa Smith, and Melissa Baroni attended MANY of the Ignite sessions (like, seriously. It’s impressive!) back in April. Now that a few months have passed since the event, they join me to share which sessions they attended, what resonated with them the most, what lessons they learned, and what they’ve baked into their new way of being since the event. If you weren’t able to attend any of the sessions (or ones that they mentioned!), remember you can find them all in our LMS, located here.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Dennis Mosser shares the details of four upcoming vehicle launches (one of which is just vanishing off the lots!) for Nissan. He goes on to impart wisdom on the KEY VALUE PROPOSITIONS of Sincro for a Nissan dealer, including “In Transit” inventory, our in the moment service, our prices, DMC, and quite a bit more. Be sure to listen so you know how to win a Nissan dealer’s business. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx

Amber Boesen is BACK with very succinct, very meaningful updates on BMW, MINI, VW, Mazda, and GM Canada. And if you have any questions on Shift… let her know!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Additional Resources:

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx

Buckle your seatbelts everybody because Milan Golusin is back with a lot of awesome Chevy updates, including how their sales are performing, details on the Open Roads campaign (and future promotions), DRP (Digital Retail Program), D2C2, and SIM updates, as well as EBE changes. (We tried for more acronyms, but that’s the best we could do!) We encourage you to take notes while listening to this episode, because there are a lot of great conversation starters that are helpful for engaging with both current and future Chevy customers. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/OEMChannelOptimization/SitePages/OEM-Program-Support-Matrix.aspx

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/SitePages/Selling-and-Brand-Resources.aspx

Colleen Harris, our fearless Google Whisperer, is here to drop knowledge on Google Analytics filters. It’s a hot topic amongst the dealer-facing set, so she spends time reiterating the importance of telling (and showing!) you how to check which filters you do – and don’t have. It makes all the difference in the world. Keep your finger on the pulse of all things Google by regularly checking Colleen’s blog too. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

You can always count on Joe to help spark inspiration for conversations with our customers. In today’s episode he offers some great advice on what we should do with the fact that inventory is at its lowest point since 2009. Tune in for that and so much more.

Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below. Learning and Insights Dashboard

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Kristin Callahan and David Stalzer are on today’s show to talk about Sincro’s incredibly important initiative: Project Ask. The best way to get into OEM programs is to have dealers ASK for us!! Tune in for more details on how a dealer conversation might go, which OEMs we really want to go after, and so much more. Reference this deck for more resources and be sure to ask Kristin and David for help if you need it!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Project Ask_AE Overview.pptx

Teighlor Bodrie shares a brief overview of what the Torque Team has been up in the six months they’ve been in existence, and it’s quite a bit (30 blog posts, 6 webinars, etc!). She also shares some of the exciting blogs and webinars they’ll be producing in the coming months, including a blog post on the difference between jump sites and portals and an upcoming webinar on Social Strategies with our very own Kristin Falck and Jacob Alessi.

Make sure our dealers subscribe to The Sync to keep their fingers on the pulse. They can sign up at https://www.sincrodigital.com/ and click on “Resources.”

Do you have an idea for them? Share it! Either email Teighlor Bodrie or submit an idea via The Torque Team’s channel.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Kristin Callahan shares updates on the Hyundai Showroom Live (Hyundai’s new chat tool), current incentives, EV updates, and how Hyundai vehicle sales are performing (spoiler alert: They’re knocking it out of the park!). Take a look at the new Ioniq 5 here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Even if your dealer doesn’t think EV are important to their business, they could still stand to be educated on the subject. The number of EV purchases and considerations are on the rise, so join Alexis Harste for ideas on how to talk to your customers about them and what sort of things they should be doing on their website, in their advertising, and at their store. Don’t forget to look at the Conversation Starters slides for even more details! Conversation Starters - June 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY) - Copy Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Conversation Starters - June 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY) - Copy

EVERY dealer is suffering from the chip shortage in one way or another. In this episode, Alexis Harste shares inspiration and recommendations on how to help them overcome this hurdle via website, advertising, and in-store recommendations. Don’t forget to look at the Conversation Starters slides for even more details! Conversation Starters - June 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY) - Copy Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Conversation Starters - June 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY) - Copy

Colleen Harris tells us about the Google Search Console in this episode. Most dealers have access to it, and most don’t even know about it! Which is really too bad considering it has all the core website vitals —including organic unbranded reach. Learn more about it in Colleen’s blog post then TELL ALL YOUR DEALERS! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Welcome Amber Boesen to the party – your new go-to for all things Shift Digital! In this episode, Amber introduces herself and shares insight into what’s going on with GM Canada, Infiniti Tier 3 advertising, Mazda, BMW, and VW. Tune in for the scoop! Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Find more supporting resources for all OEMs here.

To honor the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, Fred Smalls and Deborah Valentine join me to discuss this timely and important topic. Note from Deborah, post recording: I have been reading up on this history side of this question and during the recording, I confused the actual text of the 14th Amendment!!! And in what I would call, Karen-like fashion, I was certain I was correct, but it was based on the fact that it had just been referenced in the morning news, which I likely mis-interpreted entirely. I am deeply sorry for the misspeak. Fred, I apologize to you directly, if I prevented you from asking to stop the recording to correct me, in any way. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Here are the MLK Jr. videos we played in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Bt-ga8vJc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBwKnnZN52U

Randal Gullette starts our conversation by defining what a portal is, then goes on to explain when a portal (particularly a used one) would be a good solution for our customers. She also shares the questions you should ask and things you should look out for that indicate a portal is the right solution. Did you miss her webinar with Teighlor Bodrie last month? We highly recommend you tune in for even more information and resources. Listen here and find their awesome deck below. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Dominate Your Market with a Used Car Portal _5.18.21_WEBINAR.pptx

Back by popular demand – Joe Tarell is here to shepherd you through June’s Conversation Starters deck, which include electric vehicles, chip shortage workarounds, the desire to still shop AT a dealership, and so much more! Thanks to Joe for his insight and expertise and to the folks who put these slides together: Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Jeff Pleva, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris. You can find the deck here. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

John Stark is here with Ford updates for the month of June. The most exciting news to report? We’ve already DOUBLED the amount of Ford customers. Now let’s focus on other ways to deepen and build our relationships. Tune in for his suggestions and guidance – and look forward to hearing a bit about Ford’s newest release (small but mighty!). Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here. Ford Documents

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

Joe shares updates aplenty on SIM as DVIM and D2C2, including how many GM dealers have selected us since we’ve gone live (lots) and what some of our main advantages are against our competitors (also lots). Tune in for all the details and be sure to reach out to Joe if you have any questions! Also, be sure to listen to SIM DVIM: How It Helps Sincro Keep and Win Customers to learn even more about why this is such a huge competitive advantage for us. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Alexis Harste shares the latest from the Torque Team (AKA Sincro’s Secret Weapon in Thought Leadership), giving you a lot of good fodder to bring up with our (current and future) customers. Make sure our dealers subscribe to The Sync to keep their fingers on the pulse. They can sign up at https://www.sincrodigital.com/ and click on “Resources.” Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

We learn more about what the world will look like sans cookies every single day. In today’s episode, Josh Goodin addresses questions that were asked by dealers in his most recent webinar with Jason Jewert, including whether social targeting will still be available, how third parties like Autotrader will be affected, whether ALL advertising costs will increase, and how we should track moving forward.

Bookmark the Cookie Aisle in our LMS to keep your finger on the pulse of all things Cookie-pocalypse.

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

In case you missed the webinar:

Deck
Recording

Kristopher Peterson shares what the Sincro Pride ERG is up to for the month of June, including a Queer Quiz Show at the end of the month, hosted by Sincro’s very own Jeopardy All-Star Leah Caglio! He also shares wonderful resources for the LGBT+ community and its allies. Be sure to check out this page and reach out to Annie Lui at Ansira if you’re interested in becoming a Safe Zone. Also, be an active participant and ally by participating in our engaging Monday Mingles and Wednesday Wisdoms in our Get to Know Sincro Channel 😊 Finally, check out this moving video below on what Pride means to some Sincro associates. PRIDE 2021 - 2June2021.mp4 Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

No, the engagement survey isn’t something you take to kill time and check a box. It’s an opportunity to affect change and shape our company and culture! Shazia joins me to discuss why you should take the survey (and be generous with your comments!) and also goes over the amazing things that were implemented as a result of the first survey we took. (See! They listen!) Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Dennis Mosser discusses Nissan’s focus models, the biggest thing they’ve got going on right now, and a huge win we’ve had with Dan Banister (spoiler: he boomeranged!) Check out his sites below:

https://www.banisternissanofnorfolk.com/

https://www.banisternissanofchesapeake.com/

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Nissan

Did you know that MANY (if not most) dealers will likely not receive ANY new inventory in June? It’s true, and it’s a fact that’s keeping a lot of our customers up at night. Have no fear, though: Alexis Harste is here to save the day with MORE wonderful (and easily implemented) strategies to help you and your dealers navigate through these tricky times. Here are some examples of ideas she mentions: · Lease Return and Early Lease Return landing pages

 `· [https://www.tompeacockcadillac.com/know-your-options-before-buying](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tompeacockcadillac.com%2Fknow-your-options-before-buying&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882296364%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=%2BiP1FivOEhcwGKcaw9qtQ7bG3J%2Fu5mTsudj24BQcjhc%3D&reserved=0) · [https://www.tompeacockcadillac.com/cadillac-lease-return](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tompeacockcadillac.com%2Fcadillac-lease-return&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882306358%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=zOI3tgo9Ky2kFEBlr%2FgPs%2ByIm%2B5GEtND92iwhGlechU%3D&reserved=0)`

· Used and CPO FAQ landing pages

 `· [https://www.valmarkchevy.com/used-vehicle-faq](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.valmarkchevy.com%2Fused-vehicle-faq&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882316356%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=WwRe8d2Pm%2BeHmZpUUemOOMm0HtObmeDoOa3Rk6RBtfY%3D&reserved=0)`

· New Vehicle Alternative landing pages

 `· [https://www.centralbuickgmctruck.com/new-vehicle-alternatives](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.centralbuickgmctruck.com%2Fnew-vehicle-alternatives&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882316356%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=bIb6wbd4X0lIwCZE7BFS2dQHLFxOynaFtFY0%2FUb%2BGZk%3D&reserved=0)`

· Sell/ Trade landing page – we buy your vehicle, even if you don’t buy ours

 `· [https://www.npchevy.com/sell-trade-in-your-car-truck-suv-san-antonio-tx](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.npchevy.com%2Fsell-trade-in-your-car-truck-suv-san-antonio-tx&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882326350%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=A%2BHvIaX9Sn9gidPm%2FdP9EOdgh6sU%2F21DIFRt1ECSRO0%3D&reserved=0) · [https://www.valmarkchevy.com/sell-your-car-truck-suv-new-braunfels-tx](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.valmarkchevy.com%2Fsell-your-car-truck-suv-new-braunfels-tx&data=04%7C01%7CBjorn.Anderson%40sincrodigital.com%7Cb1c92e097fbe40fe895e08d92132755c%7C64f8aedac9ea4be5a09b4f46508d43d3%7C0%7C0%7C637577322882326350%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=KuULGUsbsWuGghQJwBOCZ%2FuWsXy2dqUcZ0Y0YKn67ZY%3D&res`

Colleen Harris is here with an important reminder: Take stock of what your data is and where it is in Google Analytics. In other words, it’s time for a little Spring Cleaning. Our resident Google Whisperer walks through what to consider and where to start. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here. Keep your finger on the pulse by reading Colleen’s Blog Posts.

Steve Valutis is back to share information on how our pricing stacks up against the competition (Spoiler Alert: We’re the best!) as well as the latest with GM’s Brand Standards, SIM DVIM, and the forthcoming Digital Customer Experience. There is a lot of amazing information packed into a small amount of time – but there’s no way we could limit this one to five minutes. Be sure to check out our additional resources below. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

General Motors (US) GM Price Comparison DocGM SIM as DVIM MeBo PostInventory Manager White Paper

The Cookie-Pocalypse is upon us and as you all know: Things are changing on a moment-to-moment basis. But that’s where Josh Goodin comes in to save the day! In this episode, Josh shares important updates about cookies, what we should be saying (and not saying), and what resources are available for us to learn more. If you feel like you’re getting in over your head, know that Josh and many others are there to support you. Just reach out!

Here are some of the articles he’s reading these days: https://www.adexchanger.com/online-advertising/unified-id-2-0-is-facing-roadblocks-and-not-just-to-do-with-google/https://searchengineland.com/wordpress-proposes-blocking-floc-by-default-347887https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/verizon-media-arget-people-no-user-id-present/?utm_content=position_1&utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BreakingNews_Newsletter_210414093108&lyt_id=120228https://digiday.com/marketing/absence-third-party-cookies-publishers-building-walled-gardens/https://digiday.com/media/this-isnt-an-easy-topic-to-understand-googles-identifier-forces-ad-tech-to-make-some-hard-choices/

The incomparable Jon Quade gives a quick but critical update on our recent webinars with Ford Direct DPC (Digital Program Consultants) and Ford dealers. Namely: What were the biggest takeaways, what was the dealer feedback, and how can we use this information as conversation starters when engaging with potential Ford customers. The next webinar is May 27th, so be sure to register here: Ford Direct webinar. Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Ford (Ford Direct)

Sincro’s HR Business Partners Alicia Washnock and Meredith Bevers discuss what exactly “HR Business Partner” means and how they can help you feel supported, dear listener. They go on to share what their priorities are (YOU) and their vision for our company culture (they’re here to help US create it). Other salient topics include their strategy to support remote work and how we can work through burnout. Don’t forget to check out the innumerable resources on our Employee Assistance Program and be sure to bookmark the Employee Ethics Hotline if you ever need it as well.

Sincro’s VP of HR Shazia Hasan talks all things HR, including how she found her way into the field, what her philosophy is on how it should support the people in our company, and why personal development and investing in Sincro employees is so important to her. If you missed the Getting to Know You series in which she and Jen Cole were interviewed, take a listen to that as well. Sincro has the most AMAZING people.

Employee Ethics Hotline

Deana Bonetto, Audrey McKasy, and Obia Muoneke share the details of an experience that could very easily have wound up been a cautionary tale in which Sincro had to pay back a dealer for $75,000 worth of advertising they claimed they had canceled. However, thanks to Obia’s diligence and thorough documentation, Sincro was spared that fate. Tune in for more details on why proper documentation is so hugely important for all of us.

Kate Swegles joins this special edition of “You’ve Got Five Minutes.” She shares everything you need to know about Cadillac this month to help you engage in meaningful conversations with your current (or potential) Cadillac customers.

General Motors (US)

Dealer Group Advertising Strategist Jake Kendo walks through the successes he and his team have shared with one of his clients over the past year. Despite having decreased their advertising spend for some accounts and cancelling for another when the pandemic hit last year, they’ve come back strong thanks to their relationships and ability to be creative. Tune in for all the details and take notes!

April was a busy month, so in the event that you weren't able to listen to the Digital Download as you always do, tune in for the highlight reel and get a sneak peek of what's to come next month!

Don't forget to take our brief Podcast survey here.

Ford dealers are ripe for the picking these days. John Stark explains what the guide is and Jason Jewert goes on to deconstruct the document and language used within. If you have any questions or need support, reach out to Erin Zaborac and she will coordinate resources to get you the help you need.

https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/erin_zaborac_sincrodigital_com/EYU46cl0WIlGrWcHv6GSw7UBOLThMIhH1STUgiO-iMqdew?e=RmXtMU

Heather Delatorre joins me to talk about Sincro Cares, a company-wide initiative to provide digital marketing services to charitable organizations. Tune in to learn more about the program, how you can get involved, which non-profits we support, and hear about some of the successes we’ve had. This is a wonderful opportunity to support our local communities and share our awesome skills. Get ready to be inspired.

Learn more and sign up for Sincro Cares here.

Senior Digital Performance Strategist Alexis Harste joins the show to offer three quick, easy, and impactful strategies you can use to help your dealer navigate through these times of low new inventory. Certainly, not each solution will work for every dealer, but these ideas certainly give you something good to talk about! Here are the resources we mentioned, as promised:

· Click to Call button on the VSR· https://www.oneilbuickgmc.com/VehicleSearchResults?

· Other Models with Towing Capabilities (Trucks are hard to come by and there are other more readily available models that have towing capabilities for this summer’s adventures)· https://www.haggertybuickgmc.com/2020-buick-enclave-towing-capacity· https://www.hendrickbuickgmccary.com/2019-buick-enclave-towing-capacity

· GM Rewards Points:o https://www.hannerchevrolet.com/gm-rewards-points-abilene

Marnie Cannon, Christina Rosenbach, and Erin Zaborac join the episode to discuss what exactly DVIM is and why it sets us apart from the competition. For starters, it makes dealers’ lives so much easier and provides that consistency and support they have come to expect from us. Tune in for the rest of the story.

Don't forget to read, reference, and bookmark this FAQ.

Every year the Puget Sound Business Journal publishes a list of the top companies to work for in Washington state. It’s the pre-eminent list of workplaces in the state. The companies on the list couldn't be more different but they have one thing in common: their employees love working there.

All Best Workplaces winners are decided solely by their employees' responses to a survey. Their responses determine the company's score and ranking. The questions cover six categories including workplace culture, management, training, growth opportunities, leadership, and team dynamics.

This year we’ve applied to be on the list and whether we make it is up to our team members in Washington. Between May 3 and 14 we’re asking them to complete a short survey about working at Sincro. We need at least 50% to complete it to be considered! So go on, what are you waiting for?

Kristin Callahan shares Hyundai and Genesis’s upcoming model launches and how Sincro is supporting those so you’ll know what to chat with your dealers about in the coming weeks.

Genesis (Autodata Solutions) Hyundai (Autodata Solutions)

The next 60-90 days are HUGE for Ford, dear listeners. John Stark shares exactly why that is and why he’s anticipating such big things for our relationship with them. Tune in for all the details (and then be sure to have your dealers register for one of our webinars on May 13th and May 27th). Ford (Ford Direct)

Paulette Howard and Chris Sanders are on today’s show to discuss career development at Sincro. Based on feedback from employee surveys, many Sincro folks wanted more growth opportunities. Ask, and ye shall receive as they say. Tune in to learn more about the resources that are available to you, including our new SWAP program and Career Development Sharepoint page. (Oh, and even though Ignite has passed, you can still listen to a recording of the “Grow Your Own Way” session we mentioned!)

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/CareerDevelopment

Dennis Mosser talks about Nissan’s new customer-focused campaign, “Nissan Next” and shares the most important things we should be discussing with Nissan dealers right now. Tune in for the scoop! Nissan

Randal Gullette joins this special episode to reveal what Sincro’s Torque Team is up to in the coming months. You’re familiar with the Torque Team, right? No? Then allow us to introduce you: They’re basically Sincro’s secret weapon in thought leadership! Randal tells us about their March Madness social campaign (which was a rousing success!), their Luxury Playbook, upcoming EV Playbook, and Used Car Portal webinar in May. They’re up to some really cool things — but if you have ideas and want to be part of the action — they’d love to have you. Be sure to keep your finger on the pulse of their whitepapers and blog posts by going to www.sincrodigital.com, and submit your ideas for content on their Teams channel.

Erin Zaborac and Josh Goodin recently hosted “When Digital Cookies Crumble” – a webinar to help dealers prepare for the upcoming cookie-less future. During our time together in this episode, they give a brief overview of the webinar, share what sort of feedback dealers were giving, and most importantly: How we should be talking to dealers about it. Check out the webinar (and previous ones!) all stored here. This is a robust topic, so look for more from us very soon!

Sincro Webinars

How lucky are we to have Colleen Harris, Sincro’s own Google Whisperer, here to demystify all things Google? In this month’s edition, she continues the conversation about Core Website Vitals, addressing the FUD surrounding updates, myth busting a whole bunch of things that aren’t even true, and providing input on how we should be talking to our customers about it. Check out her blog post for even more details: https://www.sincrodigital.com/Blog https://www.sincrodigital.com/Blog

Joe Tarell walks us through the April slides put together by Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Jeff Pleva, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris. A special thanks to this team for their efforts. If you're ever at a loss as to what you should discuss with your dealers… well, now you really have no excuse!

Tune in for guidance from Joe and then be sure to leverage the slides, found in our resources. Conversation Starters - April 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx Conversation Starters - April 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx

Joe Tarell reminds us of a few key things in today’s episode while also covering the past two weeks of Louis Goldobin’s indispensable updates. If you aren’t receiving Louis Goldobin’s weekly emails, either shoot him an email or find them all in our LMS.

We talk about OTT all the time (and I don’t know about you, but I STILL get confused even though I have some of the smartest people in the room explaining it to me!), but we have a new voice and new perspective to help you understand OTT in a whole new light. Kevin Bohannon breaks it down and explains who our product is for and what we should consider before even broaching the subject with dealers. This is a good foundation, but if you’re ready to get into the weeds, be sure to register for his upcoming trainings at the link below. Kevin is joined by AEs Will Calpin and Dimitri Loucas, who share their thoughts on what resonated with them.

Milan Golusin shares great updates and provides valuable conversation starters for those of us engaging with Chevy dealers. He talks about chip shortages, sales, EV, a new online retailing experience, and more. Tune in for the scoop!

Chris Douglas, Sincro’s SVP of Product, joins todays show to talk about his team and what they do, his product philosophy, and what he really wants sales to know about his team. But there’s so much more than that. Tune in to hear his favorite thing about working remotely and which core value resonates most with him and why.

Help us make our podcast even better! Take this super brief (we promise – it’s like 4 questions) survey:https://forms.office.com/r/dNG4mbRhJa

Our fearless leader Jen Cole joins me to underscore what Sincro’s 2021 focus areas are and how you, dear listener, should feel empowered to help achieve them. But she shares ohsomuch more -- including how senior leadership has addressed employee survey results, what our first Sincro anniversary means to her, and why Ignite week is SO important for each and every one of us to participate in. And in case you didn’t know: Jen will be kicking off our Sincro-Palooza celebration on April 21st with a celebratory toast, so be there or be square! Help us make our podcast even better! Take this super brief (we promise – it’s like 4 questions) survey:https://forms.office.com/r/dNG4mbRhJa

Help us make our podcast even better! Take this super brief (we promise – it’s like 4 questions) survey:https://forms.office.com/r/dNG4mbRhJa

Joshua Robinson, JR Falkenhagen, and Jason Jewert join me to discuss Sincro’s Partner Program.Who are our partners? What’s the difference between a partnership and being part of the partner program? Why is this such a great competitive advantage for us? Where is the program going? Those questions and SO MUCH MORE are discussed on today’s episode.

Help us make our podcast even better! Take this super brief (we promise – it’s like 4 questions) survey:https://forms.office.com/r/dNG4mbRhJa

The Agency’s Conversation Starter slides are intended to help you engage with your dealers in deeper, more meaningful ways so that you can help them achieve their goals. Alexis Harste joins me today to talk about a slide from February that goes over the rise in leasing (31 to 52% in the last year!). The cool thing about leasing is that there’s an opportunity for dealers to acquire more used inventory with lease returns. As always, Alexis has amazing ideas, questions, and insights – so tune in for the scoop! (And be sure to check out the amazing examples and questions detailed on the slide below.) (Slide 7) Conversation Starters - February 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx

Mark your calendars, friends! Ford Direct’s Dealer Choice 2.0 is underway and Sincro’s OWN Jason Jewert will be presenting to them on April 6th. Tune in for the details from John Stark on why this is so important and what you should be doing.

Kate Larsen and Kacey Wight (Midnight Elves!) are on today’s episode to share all the exciting details about the new Offer Gallery Tool the Ad Ops team has created. They walk us through what it is, where to find it, why it’s so helpful to you, and what the troubleshooting/escalation paths are. Keep your eyes peeled for a future eLearning (April 12!) to help you learn even more about this awesome tool. https://tools.digops.sincro.io/node/tools/offerGallery

Leah Caglio and Colleen Harris (Google Whisperer!) join me to talk about Google’s Cars for Sale program, which is still in its pilot phase. Tune in to find out what it’s all about, what resources are available, and when it’s available to the general public (not really – we don’t know on that one!).

Paul Samione sends out weekly emails with a LOT of interesting data and network trends. Who’s receiving these? How should we be using them? What’s the vision? Paul and Randal Gullette join me to answer those questions and talk about so much more. Randal shares tips and tricks on how she leverages the information Paul sends out with her customers – and we promise that once you listen, you’ll be inspired to do the same. Do you have FOMO? Get on the list by emailing paul.samione@sincrodigital.com

Joe Lux demystifies GM’s D2C2 (Digital Dealer Command Center), including what it is and how it will be evolving in the near future. This evolution will set us up for even greater success, so you’ll want to give a listen. And stay tuned: More resources and training are just around the corner!

In this special edition episode, Andrea Reese shares important information on Buick and GMC. Tune in for insight on focus models, OEM wins, and where our opportunities lie with these brands. If you have a question about Buick or GMC, let us know and we’ll cover the topic in a future episode of the show!

Customer-Facing Files

You can always count on Joe to help spark inspiration for conversations with our customers. In today’s episode he offers a few “Tasty Morsels” (Here for this!) – including the importance of gratitude, inventory supplies and what the average numbers are, and finally: Did you know we have an Automotive News login?! If you don’t have it, hit up Darlene Reilly. (Darlene, we apologize in advance for the onslaught of emails.)

Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below. Learning and Insights Dashboard

David Ridenour shares his story of winning back an account after everything that could go wrong DID go wrong. Tune in to find out why the dealer cancelled in the first place and what David did to get them back.

How lucky are we to have Colleen Harris, Sincro’s own Google Whisperer, here to demystify all things Google. In this month’s edition, she talks about Google’s Core Vitals Updates — including what it includes, what it doesn’t include, and everything else you need to know.

Josh Goodin and Erin Zaborac join me to recap their recent dealer-facing webinar “How to Get Your Ads Streaming on the Big Screen.” Tune in to find out the sorts of questions dealers are asking about Digital TV Advertising, how we differ from our competition (and who are competition even is!), as well as how Sincro associates should be broaching this important subject with our customers. Check out their webinar recording for even more amazing info below!

How To Get Your Ads Streaming On The Big Screen (Webinar recording).

PDF of the deck Digital TV Advertising FAQ

Jodi Porter joins me to share her thoughts on how Sincro's "Finishing Strong" campaign turned out, how we can win more BMW business, and what her goals are for 2021. She has some great professional goals, so tune in for inspiration!

Ilene Freeman shares the story of how she and her team won back a dealer's group advertising business after two of the four dealers left to work with another agency. Her win underscores the importance of teaming, acting with a sense of urgency, and building strong relationships with our customers.

Nicole Besio, Meredith Bevers, and Stacey Overturf join me to discuss Sincro's new and improved New Hire Experience. If you're a manager, a new hire, or someone engaging with a new hire (probably all of us!), then you'll definitely want to take a listen. Find out what resources exist to support you, what the benefits are of virtual onboarding (and challenges as well!), and what we can all do to increase retention and make a new hire's life better and easier.   Sincro's Intranet

Learning & Insights Homepage

Jared Neyens, a Senior Digital Advertising Analyst with Sincro, shares the story of how he worked with both the Shift rep and VW rep to not only prevent a dealer from canceling their advertising, but actually help them decide to increase their budget. Tune in for inspiration on thinking like an agency and insight into how thinking of the dealer's best interest first is a win for everyone.

Dennis Mosser shares updates on March Madness, new models, and Nissan’s new “Shop At Home” digital retailing solution.

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

Joe Tarell walks us through the March slides put together by Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Jeff Pleva, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris. A special thanks to this team for their efforts. If you're ever at a loss as to what you should discuss with your dealers… well, now you really have no excuse! Tune in for guidance from Joe and then be sure to leverage the slides, found in our resources.

You can always count on Joe to help spark inspiration for conversations with our customers. In today’s episode he talks about electric vehicles as well as why it's important to ask dealers how they plan to hold on to gross profits as inventory production ramps up. He also offers a friendly reminder that it's our responsibility to stay on top of news in digital, tech, marketing, and of course: the automotive industry.

Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below. Learning and Insights Dashboard

Teighlor Bodrie is on the show to remind you of two things to know about dealer groups in general as well as why we are so well positioned to succeed with them. She also shares the Dealer Group focus for this month: Portals. Tune in to find out why and what hurts they can help solve!

Dealer Group Trainings in the LMS

Chris Becin joins me today to discuss the GM Tier 3 Advertising program. Did you know that of the 13 approved vendors, we have the most business (more than second and third place combined)? Or that we can sell advertising to dealers with non-Sincro sites? Chris (or Becin if you prefer) shares those gems and so much more, including program details, benefits, and resources. Tune in for the scoop! Internal email alias for any questions: GMUSProgramquestions@sincrodigital.com

Customer facing materials: General Motors (US)

Stacey Overturf, Deb Valentine, Fred Smalls, and Joi Steward join me for a conversation surrounding race and children, including how to broach the subject, how the experience varies for each of us, and why it’s so important to have these conversations. If there’s an experience you’ve had, a misconception you hold, a question you’re scared to ask, please know that this is a safe forum for you to bring it forward in. Should you want to remain anonymous, but have the subject broached, that’s perfectly fine as well. Simply reach out through the Black Voices Sharepoint page (or even email Fred Smalls!), noted in the resource below. blackvoiceserg@sincrodigital.com

Sincro Black Voices ERG - Home (sharepoint.com)

Erin Zaborac and Colleen Harris recently hosted the webinar “Show Up In Local Search,” which poses a lot of important questions for dealers to ask their website vendor (if they’re not with us, of course). If you weren’t able to attend their presentation, we’ve included a link to the deck and recording. Tune in to this episode to find out why our out of the box SEO solution is above and beyond, and arm yourself with some great questions to ask prospective dealers.

PDF of their deck and the related SEO GuidebookShow Up In Local Search Webinar Recording

As you may know, many OEMs work with third parties when it comes to managing their website, advertising, and many other vendors. But what OEM use third parties? How many third parties are there? How can they be used to our advantage? What are the setbacks? Kristin Callahan, John Stark, and Jermaine Griffin join me to answer all those questions and more – so tune in!

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials

John Stark has three exciting updates to share about Ford. Tune in for more details on the microchip shortage, Choice 2.0, and whether Ford has extended our contract.

Ford (Ford Direct)

In this episode, Dana Melick and Anna Daugherty chat with me about all things SEO, including the foundational understanding of what it is as well as why Sincro is so dang good at it. You’ll also gain an understanding of why our SEO Analysts are some of the best in the business. Side note: If you have a dealer who’s in a competitive market, you should really be talking to them about PowerSEO (an amazing service we provide to customers with OR without our websites). Tune in for more!

Getting to Know Your Teams: Earned MarketingSchema and Structured Data podcast PowerSEO materials

Lynsay Hanna, Adam Hill, and Luisa Puentes join me to dive deep into what it means to be consultative and why it’s so important for Sincro’s business. Tune in to hear their perspectives as well as why we need to team, what it means to “act like an agency,’ and what resources are available to help you be your best consultative self. Agency Conversation Starters Teams Channelhttps://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterialsLMS Course Catalog

You can always count on Joe to help spark inspiration for conversations with our customers. In today’s episode he talks about microchip shortages, OTT advertising, and third party cookies. Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below.

Learning and Insights Dashboard

It’s never too late to set new goals or get to know your book of business a little bit better. In this episode, Alexis Harste walks us through a TON of ideas on questions to ask and ways to engage your dealers in deeper, more meaningful conversations. Trust us, you’ll want to take notes on this one! And be sure to check out the resources for a recorded conversation and slides with many talking points.

January Conversation Starter Slide (Slide 7 – New Year, New Goals Part 1)
February Conversation Starter Slide (Slide 3 – New Year, New Goals Part 2)
Agency Conversation Starter Slides Homepage
Recording of a call where Alexis asked many of these questions:
Topic: Let's Talk: O'Neil Buick GMC & Sincro – Onboarding Call
Meeting Recording: https://ansira.zoom.us/rec/share/OPZhAY_XxALAbEYsyM7ob3-v2m2GrpgUSWgk_sUa0fwm45BpyvNU4jTiwGk88Lva.Oeyq9z0xG0DMT1Z5

Access Passcode: 5%%78*ZY

In our final segment with Jermaine Griffin, he shares information on the Tier 3 site redesign efforts for Mazda.

Mazda (Shift Digital)

Part three with Jermaine Griffin, this time with the scoop on VW’s latest campaigns and enrollment information.

MINI (Shift Digital)

Our conversation with Jermaine Griffin continues with MINI. Find out why this is a small, but very important brand for Sincro.

MINI (Shift Digital)

Jermaine Griffin shares information on some BMW website wins (hooray!) as well as details on the NE Region’s Burst campaign.

BMW (Shift Digital)

Colleen joins to share an important reminder when it comes to Google Analytics. Spoiler Alert: Filter out your bots! Tune in for more, and read her blog below. https://www.sincrodigital.com/blog/Google-Whisperer-Guide-Bots

In this episode, Joe Tarell digests the slides from February’s Conversation Starters. These slides are intended to help you engage with your dealer and consult with them in a meaningful and impactful way. The topics range from new models from Buick and Cadillac to lease rates being on the rise. Take a listen and then leverage the slides below (and don’t forget to look at the notes on each slide. Lots of great leading questions!)

Conversation Starters - February 2021 (DO NOT MODIFY).pptx

Dennis Mosser joins me to share program and incentive updates for Nissan — as well as initial results from our GMB optimization and progress on their digital retailing solution. Tune in for some great conversation starters with our Nissan customers (both current and potential).

NissanNissan’s Shop @ Home program

You can always count on Joe to help spark inspiration for conversations with our customers. In today’s episode he talks about the Super Bowl ads (Will Ferrell’s GM commercial WAS pretty great, right?), dealership’s record profits (and how they’ll continue their momentum in 2021), and Google’s No Click Search (and why our Schema is the best in the biz). Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below.

Learning and Insights Dashboard

“I don’t see color.” It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard or perhaps have even said. Joi Steward, Fred Smalls, and Deborah Valentine join me to discuss what it means, why people say it, and how it makes us feel. This is an honest and vulnerable conversation that underscores the importance of connecting to each other on an individual level. Please tune in! If there’s an experience you’ve had, a misconception you hold, a question you’re scared to ask, please know that this is a safe forum for you to bring it forward in. Should you want to remain anonymous, but have the subject broached, that’s perfectly fine as well. Simply reach out through the Black Voices Sharepoint page (or even email Fred Smalls!), noted in the resource below. blackvoiceserg@sincrodigital.com Sincro Black Voices ERG - Home (sharepoint.com)

If you’re on the agency and you’re having a hard time figuring out how to bring Social Suite into conversations with your dealers, then this podcast is for you. See how listening closely and keeping his finger on the pulse of the Conversation Trigger slides helped Justin have a meaningful conversation with his dealer that resulted in increased ad spend and renewed interest in Social Suite.

Special shoutout to the amazing folks that put the Conversation Trigger slides together each month, including: Carlo Lopez, Cody Colella, Alexis Harste, Jeff Pleva, Marchette Stamps, and Aaron Harris.

Find the Conversation Trigger slides here.

It’s taken us a while to get Laura Clapp on the show, but everything amazing is worth waiting for, right? After listening to Laura talk about her background, career path, teams, vision, philosophy on consulting, and favorite core values, we dare you not to be inspired and fired up. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Sincro has the best of the best! Tune in for our interview with the eloquent and visionary SVP of Agency.

Betsy Goldberg and Paulette Howard join me to share the inside scoop on Ignite. Save time on your calendars now, friends, this is going to be an exciting virtual conference! They talk about the theme, why it’s happening, why you should be so excited about this, where you can register, and they even give us a sneak peek into what some of these sessions are about. Update: The new dates for Ignite week are April 20-22. Start enrolling soon!

Ignite Homepage

Of course people want to buy cars – they always have, always will. But tune in to hear how that’s different during our pandemic and why you should bring it up with your dealers. Thanks to Joe Tarell for digesting the wonderful Industry articles Louis Goldobin puts out every Friday. If you aren’t subscribed to his weekly email, you can find these articles in the resources below.

Learning and Insights Dashboard

Beginning today, a TON of reporting will move from CDK (yay!) to our own data warehouse. This is Super Exciting News for many reasons. Tune in to find out what exactly is happening, who’s impacted, what resources are available for you, and as I mentioned before: WHY this is so exciting. You’ll automatically be rerouted, but if you want to bookmark the new link, here it is: https://insights.sincrotools.com/

Teighlor Bodrie and Erin Zaborac join me to chat a little bit about their recent webinar: 2020 Dealer Insights to Drive 2021 Success. They cover SO MUCH invaluable information (and inspiration for things to discuss with your customers) that we had to do a bit of a Cliff’s Notes in this episode. The wildes thing is that the majority of dealers actually increased their gross profits in 2020, despite inventory challenges, declining sales, and higher expenses. So what does 2021 hold and how can we help? For that, you simply must tune in.

Passcode:?q!.zx43Here’s the link to Teighlor and Erin’s Webinar.Revisit Jason Jewert’s “Optimize Your Online Shopping Experience”: Zoom call recording

New Sincro Survey Reveals Dealers Grew Gross Profits and Digital Marketing Budgets In 2020

Kelli Liddane and Wanda Leung share information on Mega Nav, including what it is, how it came about, and why it’s such a (MEGA!) big deal. Find out when your dealer will have access and what resources are soon to be available. Here's a link to the help topic!

In honor of Black History Month, we’re starting a “Sincro Safe Space” series in which no topic is off limits. Fred Smalls and Deborah Valentine join me in today’s episode to share honest conversations about race — and why having these conversations is so critically important. If there’s an experience you’ve had, a misconception you hold, a question you’re scared to ask, please know that this is a safe forum for you to bring it forward in. Should you want to remain anonymous, but have the subject broached, that’s perfectly fine as well. Simply reach out through the Black Voices Sharepoint page (or even email Fred Smalls!), noted in the resource below.

blackvoiceserg@sincrodigital.comSincro Black Voices ERG - Home (sharepoint.com)

Michelle Duncan joins me to talk about this amazing thing in Salesforce called the “Health Index.” Have you heard of it? If not, you should pay attention. This is a labor of love for Michelle, which you’ll hear the second you tune in. The Health Index, located at the dealer’s web-id level in Salesforce, is an invaluable tool that takes myriad factors (Lot size! Engagement! More!) into consideration in determining the level of a dealer’s satisfaction and area of opportunity with Sincro. Tune in to learn more and find out what to do if you want to take a peek into the “Matrix,” as Michelle fondly calls it.

Scott Knupfer David Stalzer, and Jason Jewert (talk about heavy hitters!) join me to discuss Sincro Direct and why it’s so important not only to our business, but for dealers. They go on to demystify any preconceived notions about secondary sites, why this is such a great opportunity for us to win business with new OEMs, which OEM you should prioritize, what supporting resources are available to you, and so much more. If you have any trepidation over engaging with and selling to Sincro Direct customers, take a listen and those trepidations will be a distant memory.

Selling Independent Websites

Jan 15Stronger bottom lines despite 2020 sales dive. Oems/dealers making more money - great tool. Are you trying to maintain the gross profit you’ve been earning. Dealers always want to talk about money.Tough questions you should be asking your agency. We are an agency! Ask dealers to ask us the tough questions. Invite it!How to drive efficiency and cost-saving with personalization. Let’s get better to talk about it. The incomparable Mr. Tarell digests and synthesizes Louis Goldobin’s weekly Industry Insights emails and parlays them into meaningful ways to engage with current or potential customers. This week, he reiterates the importance of talking to your dealers about money – they always want to talk about money. He also references two great webinars you should attend (one is in the past… but you can register to listen to the recording. The other is tomorrow!), and we’ve included those links for you below. To keep your finger on the pulse of all Auto news, subscribe to Louis’s weekly email or find the articles in our LMS! The Tough Questions You Should Be Asking Your AgencyLearning and Insights DashboardHow to Drive Efficiency and Cost Savings with Personalization

Ulrika Beard joins me to talk about our new customizable Finance Prequal form. She explains why it’s happening, who it impacts, best practices, as well as what exactly is changing. It’s exciting – and it’s been asked for… so tune in!

Steve Valutis offers a refresher on our rules of engagement when winning back GM dealer business – as well as reminders about D2C2, SEO challenges, and things to keep in mind about enrollment if dealers are waiting to migrate.

GM Program Info

Colleen Harris’s reminder is simple but important: Check Your Data and Goals! Yes, it may be a pain in the butt now… but you’ll thank yourself later.

Welcome to our monthly series with Jermaine Griffin! In this episode, Jermaine shares updates on BMW. We still only have one site with them, but there’s a LOT of opportunity in this channel. Use your resources, including Shift reps, Dealer Group contacts, the segmentation report, and none other than the inimitable Jermaine Griffin. Let’s do this!

BMW Program Page

Welcome to our monthly series with Jermaine Griffin! In this episode, Jermaine shares updates on MINI. Here’s another OEM for which we have a lot of opportunity. Tune in for the details, and don’t forget to use your resources (and go after that BMW- MINI double play!) To listen to the Sincro podcast on your favorite podcast app, subscribe using the RSS feed.Username: driving-digital-podcastPassword: sincro!

Welcome to our monthly series with Jermaine Griffin! In this episode, Jermaine shares updates on VW. Jermaine shares good news in the VW channel – including that our repackaging efforts are well underway. Learn more about their 2021 Burst campaign and find out how VW performed in their 2020 sales. (Spoiler alert: They were amazing!)

Additional Resourceshttps://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/BMW+OEM+Program+Page

Welcome to our monthly series with Jermaine Griffin! In this episode, Jermaine shares updates on Mazda. We’ve dropped below 20 sites with Mazda, so tune in to find out how we can increase that number and help them develop their luxury branding.

Developing a Luxury Strategy

Mary Aske and Tony Doll join this episode to discuss the positive impacts of our new and improved Buy/Sell process, which came from Mary’s IDEA-A-THON submission. Learn about why the process changed, why it’s such an amazing win for dealers, and how they’ve successfully increased the number of accounts that have a WPM. Oh, and if you have a question related to the Buy/Sell process, email buysell@sincrodigital.com

This series is intended to serve as inspiration for our customer-facing associates as well as a celebration of individual wins and success. In today’s episode, Alexis Harste joins me to talk about her “Conversation Starter” Tax Write-Off slide. She shares what inspired her to learn more about the tax write-off, how she spoke with her dealers about it, and what the outcome was (lots of engagement! Many new landing pages!). Tune in to learn more. Don’t forget to check out our available resources, which include examples of the aforementioned landing pages as well as our initial episode with Hillary Linton and Luisa Puentes in which we talk about the “Conversation Starter” initiative.

Conversation Starter slide: WPM - Conversation Starters - November 2020.pptxHanner Chevrolet ExampleFreysinger GM ExampleTools to Elevate Dealer Conversations

We’ve created this new weekly series in which the incomparable Mr. Tarell digests and synthesizes Louis Goldobin’s industry insights and parlays them into meaningful ways to engage with current or potential customers. This week, he gathers inspiration from 2020 car sales, GM’s surpassing Ford in truck sales, and Chevy’s Virtual Shopping. To keep your finger on the pulse of all Auto news, subscribe to Louis’s weekly email or find the articles in our LMS.

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights

In this episode, Joe Tarell digests the slides from January’s Conversation Starters. These slides are intended to help you engage with your dealer and consult with them in a meaningful and impactful way. The topics range from using social media to attract young buyers to helping your dealer set their 2021 goals. Take a listen and then leverage the slides below.

Conversation Starter Slides - January 2021

John Stark joins to share information about the wonderful testimonial an Upper Peninsula Ford dealer recently filmed for Sincro. You’ll just have to listen to hear what they had to say about DDC – it’s too good! John goes on to lay a solid foundation for what we should be talking to our Ford customers right now, including info about their upcoming electric vehicle and questions you should be asking them about preparation and inventory.

Ford Customer-Facing MaterialsFind the most up to date testimonials on our website. Ford Program Page

You’re familiar with site speed and why it’s important. But how are you able to improve our customer’s slow load times? John Sterling-Vallejos kicks us off with some common issues dealers experience when it comes to site speed, what the common causes are, and how he helps solve them. Keep listening though, because Courtney Canute goes on to explain her go-to resolutions, the tips and tricks she keeps in her back pocket, and the resources she likes to use. If you ever encounter questions or confusion over site speed issues, you won’t want to miss this! Addendum: Although our vehicle images are compressed by default, there have been many cases where the compression was turned off by request and may increase load times.

Site Speed: What It Is and Why It Matters

Are you looking to improve your remote work habits and start the New Year fresh? Sincro associate Lauren Black has been in the WFH game for waaaay longer than us pandemic-era homebodies. Tune in for her top five tips to integrate into your WFH routine because she has some amazing advice. From scheduling breaks to making coffee dates with your co-workers, we could all benefit from her wisdom and insight. Stay tuned, too, because we’re in the process of creating a whole series to support you in your Remote Work Life. Is there an area where you feel particularly stuck? Let us know!

This episode may be a bit longer than the usual five minutes, but Dennis Mosser has a lot of great updates to share on Nissan, including upcoming model releases, promotions, digital retailing solutions, GMB updates, and more. Don’t forget to learn more about their Shop at Home program below.

Nissan’s Shop @ Home program

While Sincro is not yet a certified vendor with Honda, it’s SO EASY to sell them our products. Tune in to hear Kristin explain why that is – and take notes on what you need to know. One thing that’s great is Ansira manages Honda’s website compliancy. How cool is that?

Autodata's Honda Website Sincro’s Honda Demo Website

This is an evolution of our conversation starters series. The agency team has been doing a pilot in which DAA, SEO, and WPM associates create PowerPoint slides with topics that are meant to help engage our customers and help to develop optimization strategies. The original conversation and explanation with Luisa Puentes and Hillary Linton is included below. In this episode, Joe Tarell helps us digest the content in these slides (which are also included below) to make the most of these amazing resources. Tools to Elevate Dealer ConversationsThe slides are available on this pages Sharepoint: Agency Conversations Starters channel

Leigh Fox, Heather Bildner, Kelsey Hayes, and Nick Kozenkranius join me to talk about a very important and influential Dealer Group: Faulkner. In this episode, they basically showcase every single Sincro value. They are truly Re-Imaginers, Customer Fanatics, Relentless Movers, and Community Champions in every way possible. Tune in to learn how they came together to solve Faulkner’s desire to evolve the digital experience for their customers and create an interactive presentation that led to an absolutely beautiful portal (and even more business with them!). www.faulknerdirect.com

Colleen Harris’s advice to dealers: If you set up ONE THING in Google Analytics, let it be engagement goals. Find out exactly what she means and why they are so important (could have something to do with the fact that 19 out of 24 touch points on the consumer journey are DIGITAL!). Then check out our resources below if you need help setting these up.

Colleen Harris shares information about Google’s implementation of Google Analytics Four. Google is shifting their focus to emphasize engagement metrics, but fortunately they’re not just flipping the switch on us overnight. Tune in for Colleen’s recommendations on what to do right now and why this is actually a really cool thing!

Joe Tarell is back and better than ever with great topics to bring up with our customers, including Nissan Canada’s unveiling of their nationwide virtual showroom and Ford’s launching of their own used vehicle platform and brand (Ford Blue Advantage). As Joe reminds us, it’s GOOD to get dealers fired up! So anything that starts a conversation or pokes at them is worthwhile. If you aren’t receiving Louis Goldobin’s weekly emails, either shoot him an email or find them all in our LMS.

John Stark joins for my first podcast recording of December! (Be kind, I’m dusting off the vacation cobwebs…) He shares updates on the number of repackaged dealers thus far, how our pipeline is coming along, and offers some good conversation starters for engaging with dealers — including Bronco updates, end of year promotions, and the focus on 2021 F-150.

OEM Customer Facing MaterialsCheck out our Ford Landing Page

Hillary Linton and Luisa Puentes share the details of this new Agency initiative, which is intended to provide associates with resources and tools to elevate their conversations with dealers. They discuss the teams this impacts, how and why the initiative started, when we are implementing this, and what resources are available to you, dear listener.

Password: sincro!Erin Zaborac recently hosted a webinar in which she (and Alan Krutsch!) shared the Top 5 Ways to Convert Leads to Sales. In this episode, Erin explains WHY a customer should even want an appointment, how sales folks should go about for asking one, and what to do to make sure they KEEP their appointment. Even though this is a possible external episode, there’s still a lot of valuable information you can share with our customers! To listen to the Sincro podcast on your favorite podcast app, subscribe using the RSS feed. https://pinecast.com/feed/driving-digital-podcastUsername: driving-digital-podcast

Here is a link to the original webinar

Erin Zaborac recently hosted a webinar in which she (and Alan Krutsch!) shared the Top 5 Ways to Convert Leads to Sales. In this episode, Erin focuses on how dealers should manage their long-term follow up. Having a plan in place is key for both short and long-term follow-up. And it’s SO important to provide value. Even though this is a possible external episode, there’s still a lot of valuable information you can share with our customers!

Here is a link to the original webinar

Erin Zaborac recently hosted a webinar in which she (and Alan Krutsch!) shared the Top 5 Ways to Convert Leads to Sales. In this episode, Erin focuses on things for a dealer to keep in mind when engaging with a potential customer (including compliance!) . Even though this is a possible external episode, there’s still a lot of valuable information you can share with our customers!

Here is a link to the original webinar

Erin Zaborac recently hosted a webinar in which she (and Alan Krutsch!) shared the Top 5 Ways to Convert Leads to Sales. In this episode, Erin focuses on how to handle that very first response to a potential customer, whether they’re inquiring about a specific VIN or a general model. Even though this is a possible external episode, there’s still a lot of valuable information you can share with our customers!

Here is a link to the original webinar

Grab a pen and paper (or open up Notes, if you’re technologically advanced like that!) because Dennis Mosser has a LOT of good updates this month. He covers everything from GMB Fast Start to exciting Regional Advertising updates – as well as updates on our repackaging efforts and Nissan’s big Shop at Home initiative, coming soon.

OEM Customer Facing Materials

If you’re anything like me, you thought OEM landing pages and assets just magically SHOWED UP on a dealer’s website at the beginning of the month. As it turns out, that isn’t the case! Kate Larsen joins me to explain what the Ad Ops team does, who they work with, what you’d be surprised to know about them (they exist!), and who to reach out to if you need more support or are curious to learn even more about them.

Does Joe Tarell’s insight ever totally amaze you? You’re not alone! In this week, Joe digests and synthesizes Louis Goldobin’s Brand and Informational articles from Friday, November 13th – and there’s a LOT of good stuff! Tune in for some tips on how to speak to the strength of our websites in light of Google’s new visual indicators in search (and what that means), why resale values are so important, how dealers are handling the COVID resurgence and more! If you aren’t subscribed to Louis’s weekly newsletter, don’t fret. We post all his articles in our LMS.

Mark Garrett joins me to tell us everything we need to know about Sincro’s Finish Strong campaign, including why we’re doing this, what our goals are, and WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU, dear listener!

Q4 Objectives and Quiz (Take this if you’d like the chance to win prizes!)Finish Strong in Q4 Training PlanTier 2 Advertising With Janell BarkerAdvertising Tiers eLearning

In service of helping you elevate your Sincro elevator pitch, Jason Jewert joins me to walk through our SIX WHY BUY messages that differentiate us from the competition. (Side note: They’re super strong and compelling!) Keep in mind that you don’t need to toss these all out at once in a conversation with your dealer, but carefully consider which of our messages might help a customer solve their hurt. And if you need to dive deeper on any of the subjects, you’ll find what you’re looking for in our LMS. If you can’t? Send us a message and let us know!

Jodi Porter joins the show to discuss many of the OEM wins Sincro has had since we last spoke (It’s amazing!). She also talks about our recent pitch to Subaru, updates us on at-risk customers, and shares the importance of growing our Tier 2 business. But there’s seriously so much more! She talks about what Finishing Strong means to her, what her team is prioritizing, and (we had to ask) what she’s watching on TikTok these days.

Here's the Subaru pitch deck with our video on Slide 10Find a refresher on advertising tiers here.In case you missed our first interview, listen here.

Steve Valutis shares important information on GM dealer Performance and Procare repackaging efforts. This is truly awareness only, but good knowledge to have. Tune in for the updates.

GM US Performance Package and ProCare Updates.pdf General Motors (US)

You know we love tips and tricks over here at the Learning and Insights team! And Peter Drennan, a WPM here at Sincro, has them in droves. In this episode, he talks about helping one of his dealers draw awareness to their free delivery program. He covers everything from the strategies he implemented to solve the problem and how he measured success to what the dealers had to say about it. Tune in for more.

Our friend Louis Goldobin finds the articles, and Joe Tarell tells us what to do with them. How ANY of us functioned prior to their insight and guidance is beyond us. Just kidding, but they sure are helpful. This week, Joe talks about earnings and inventory levels.

Taylor Grace and Kayla Drewry explain why having a fast website is important, how they conduct a site speed test, the types of things that impact a website’s load time, and more. Stay tuned for our supporting podcast in which we’ll share tips and tricks on improving dealer’s site speed.

*UPDATE The following conversation presents a program that is totally optional for WPMs and DAAs. You're involvement is not required, however, there is an opportunity to earn a $100 spiff for each account that you can influence to enroll in the GM SFE repman program. We have also confirmed: It is $100 per enrolled account!*

Heath Bryant joins me to talk about WHY he needs your help right now and what’s in it for you (Cash Money y’all!). Basically, Heath would like for you to ask your Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet dealers if they knew that SFE enrollment is open (It’s early this year – 11/10-11/24) and if they’ve decided what to do about reputation management. He’s even making things easier by providing a script! And if you have questions, just shoot him an email. OR email socialteam@sincrodigital.com

Here’s a link to the script.

Our friend Louis Goldobin finds the articles, and Joe Tarell tells us what to do with them. This week he talks about online vs. in person shopping at dealerships, GMC’s new electric Hummer, and Apple’s new search technology. If you aren’t subscribed to Louis’s weekly email, you can find all the articles in our LMS.

Buckle up, friends. You are listening to what could potentially be our FIRST EVER DEALER-FACING PODCAST! In this episode, Jason, Taylor, and Erin join me to recap the salient points of their webinar: Making a Great Shopping Experience. They talk about the FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS on how to help increase leads and conversion on a dealer’s website. Tune in for inspiration, then share what you’ve learned with your customers. And if you have feedback on this episode? PLEASE LET US KNOW! We’d love to hear from you.

Webinar recording: Optimize Your Online Shopping Experience

Click here to access the PDF of the slides presented

This month, Jermaine reveals details of the MINI Winter Sales Event and talks about our FIRST (beautiful!) MINI website, Royal MINI of Tucson. He also shares the importance of getting dealers off legacy packages.

• View our first MINI website here.

This month, Jermaine talks incentives, the importance of repackaging dealers to our current offerings, and why retention in the VW channel is key.

• VW Sales update showing SUV success

OEM Solutions

This month, Jermaine talks about Mazda’s updated certified program, the website redesign project, and how many Mazda dealers we need to repackage. Tune in for more.

• Details on Mazda new MDCP 2.0

Jermaine shares important BMW updates and talks about why we need to be engaging with the Shift field team.

• BMW Shift Field Trainers Map with Contact Info

Ryan Kenny (if you don’t know him, you should! He may be Sincro's best kept secret.) and Alan Krutsch (of course you know who he is! He's practically a National Treasure.) join me to share their rich and storied pasts in the automotive industry. After hearing about their experiences, you’ll definitely be inspired to continue and educate yourself. Find out what inspires them about the industry, what tips they have on engaging with dealers, what supporting resources we currently have to learn more about dealerships and all things automotive, as well as what sort of learning program Ryan has in mind for the future. Spoiler Alert: Ryan reveals the name of our new LMS. So tune in!

Dealer 101: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Dealer%20101%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Auto%20Industry/SitePages/Course.aspx?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPart
Dealer 102: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Dealer%20102/SitePages/Course.aspx?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPart

Additional Supporting Resources:https://www.autocheatsheet.com/car-salesman-slang/car-sales-slang-lingo-terms.html

www.autonews.com

www.drivingsales.comwww.nada.org https://blog.nada.org/2020/10/07/nada-issues-analysis-of-third-quarter-2020-auto-sales/www.usedcarnews.comwww.cbtnews.comwww.autodealermonthly.comwww.dealermarketing.comwww.dealersedge.comwww.digitaldealer.comwww.autosuccessonline.comwww.autoblog.comwww.jalopnik.comwww.thetruthaboutcars.comwww.thedrive.com www.wardsauto.comwww.edmunds.comwww.autoguide.comwww.edmunds.comwww.autoweek.comwww.greencarreports.comwww.torquenews.com

To listen to the Sincro podcast on your favorite podcast app, subscribe using the RSS feed. https://pinecast.com/feed/driving-digital-podcastUsername: driving-digital-podcastPassword: sincro!

In our inaugural JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) podcast, Peter Smith shares exciting news about our advertising programs, which will be in two phases. Announced in late September, Sincro is now an endorsed Advertising provider for Jaguar and Land Rover. This is a Shift Digital managed program so there is an enrollment process that “Retailers” will follow.

Fun fact: JLR refers to their dealers as “Retailers” – that’s a good bit of local tribal knowledge to remember. Tune in for more and don’t forget to check out our resources below.

Dealers can enroll themselves online at www.sincrodigital.com/jaguar or www.sincrodigital.com/landrover OR we can submit an enrollment on the Retailer’s behalf to Shift Digital using the Pre-Sales Checklist located in the customer facing marketing materials folder: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/5d9ce32938a946ab/you-ve-got-five-minutes-jaguar-land-rover-with-peter-smith

Joe’s conversation starters are based upon this week’s Industry and Brand Informational Articles sent out by Louis Goldobin (included in the resources below). If you don’t have time to read all the amazing content Louis shares, allow Joe to do the legwork. Inspiration abound, so take a listen. And if you aren’t subscribed to the weekly newsletter, you can find all the articles on Sincro's LMS Dashboard: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights

John Stark shares exciting news about our progress with Ford dealers since our new packages have been announced. Tune in and then keep the momentum going using our provided resources (including how to make the most of our digital scorecards!). Don’t forget to have Ford dealers register for one of our upcoming webinars, too.

Ford (Ford Direct)Sincro Website Solution for Ford Dealers Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5833569302464911630Making the Most of Our Digital Scorecards: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Tips%20and%20Tricks%20on%20Making%20the%20Most%20of%20Our%20Digital%20Scorecards/SitePages/Course.aspx?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPart

Josh Goodin, Anna Daugherty, Taylor Grace, and Renee Graff join me to explain what exactly product marketing is and what their team does. They talk about the kind of work they’re producing, what sort of research they do, and their creative process. Finally, Josh explains what exactly “positioning” means (both in the market and to Sincro specifically). And as always, they reveal what we’d be surprised to know about them. Look out for part two later in November, when the newest member of their team will be joining us as well.

Joe Tarell gives us a few pointers on how to start conversations with dealerships based upon articles from Louis Goldobin’s industry insights. In this episode, the focus is on luxury vehicles, Google Analytics, and used cars.

Find Louis’s email here: Industry and Brand Informational Articles for the Week of October 16_ 2020.msg

Longtime listener, first time caller Shawn Jeffcoat joins me to talk about the Digital Operations team. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be surprised to discover JUST HOW MANY teams fall under the Digital Operations umbrella. Shawn talks about who they are, why they’re so cool, and what she loves about Sincro. She talks about way more than that though, so you’ll just have to listen. And stay tuned because we’ll be interviewing some of the folks she talks about soon!

If you missed our interviews with Tech Support and Content, here are a few to get you caught up:Content: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Getting%20to%20Know%20Your%20Teams%20Content?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPartTech Support: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Getting%20to%20Know%20Your%20Teams%20Tech%20Support/SitePages/Course.aspx?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPartDig Ops Dev Team: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/WEUniversity/Getting%20to%20Know%20Your%20Teams%20Dig%20Ops%20Dev%20Team?referrer=Course%20Catalog%20WebPart

Somebody get Pitbull on the line because we’re going worldwide for our Halloween festivities! Taylor Katcher and Akash Nirabhra join me to talk about the contests, the games, the happy hours, the compendium, and more!

You can find all the details, as well as Sharepoint links to the contests here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/PitCrew/SitePages/Halloween-2020.aspx?source=https%3a//ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/PitCrew/SitePages/Forms/ByAuthor.aspx

And if you’re in need of something scary to watch, here’s our Compendium: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/sites/HalloweenAtHome/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7Bf48ba3da-7647-451d-a80c-c987de345fd5%7D&action=edit&activeCell=%27Sheet1%27!A95&wdrcid=d82d9ade-811b-474e-9441-d71ac510ad1f&wdrldc=1

Dennis Mosser provides updates on GMB, repackaging efforts, satisfaction surveys and more!

Find supporting Nissan materials here: Nissan

Jessica Villa-Lovos joins us again to reveal the secrets to making these scorecards such a success — from the steps she takes prior to engaging with a dealer to the things she’s been able to fix as a result! Honestly, she’s done some incredible things and every dealer she’s engaged with has had such a great experience (and been grateful for our help!)

Tune in to find out how these scorecards can help us win more Ford dealerships!

Send dealers here to request their scorecard: https://www.sincrodigital.com/digital-scorecard

Need a refresher on what our scorecards are? Listen to this: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/70c7b75112904ddc/digital-scorecards-what-they-are-and-why-they-re-so-awesome

UPDATE The Black Voices ERG training will be held on October 21st. Look for an invite in your inbox!

Learn more about the Black Voices ERG’s mission and purpose in this super important podcast! Fred, Joi, and Lizzie share everything from personal experiences in the workforce to ways in which they plan to build awareness, forward-thinking mentalities, and support for Black employees into Sincro’s culture. They also talk about next week’s “Addressing Racial Bias Within the Workplace,” which should be finding its way to your inbox soon. If you have questions or need support, either join the Black Voices ERG Team in MS Teams or send them an email at blackvoiceserg@sincrodigital.com. Please feel free to volunteer for them – they need your help! And if you feel you have a more sensitive issue you’d like to discuss, reach out directly to joi.steward@sincrodigital.com or dior.maclin@sincrodigital.com.

Joe Tarell gives us a few pointers on how to start conversations with dealerships based upon articles from Louis Goldobin’s industry insights. In this episode, the focus is on how dealers have been creative in getting inventory on their lots and that the Ford F Series trucks are selling better than pre-pandemic times. He also offers a really good inspirational tip in this episode, so tune in!

Here’s Louis’s October 9th Email:
https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/EZ0UtpxshZpOmQ_ZyDoj__8BFG2t9W-ve2FRkyzR5yDxoA?e=nr5jQA

For Sincro associates, it just makes SENSE that a dealer should have a WPM. We’ve heard of all the amazing things they do, after all. But there’s more to it than just knowing, right? The proof is in the pudding as they always say. To that end, Christina Rosenbach, Mick Gier, and Josh Goodin join me to talk about proven engagement metrics that show (irrefutably) dealers who have a WPM are seeing more success with their website AND with their business. You just can’t argue with numbers. Tune in to hear more about the engagement metrics being considered as well as HOW WPM are doing it. Then, use these supporting resources to get some conversations going: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?viewid=d4458216%2D2641%2D453b%2D8407%2Dfa7e9d04dbcc&id=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FTier%203%20Solutions%2FStrategy%20%26%20Performance%20%28e%2Eg%2E%20WPMs%29

https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?viewid=d4458216%2D2641%2D453b%2D8407%2Dfa7e9d04dbcc&id=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FTier%203%20Solutions%2FStrategy%20%26%20Performance%20%28e%2Eg%2E%20WPMs%29

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three months since I last chatted with Jen! Fresh off her return from Denver for a meeting with Scott Knupfer’s team, she graciously sat down with me to discuss how the untangling of our CDK Christmas lights is going (well!), how she feels about the progress we’ve made as Sincro (proud!), what she’s hearing from our customers (all good things!), and some of the things she’s up to these days (pilates!). Jen also discusses some of our biggest opportunities as well a new advertising partnership (super exciting!) and a testimonial video she’ll be heading to Ohio to film next week (that’s going to be put on Brian Pasch’s site!!) Oh, and she’s also a big fan of our podcast! Are you?

Did you miss Jen’s interview with David Kain? Catch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8s_9kS3KlA

First off, a huge congratulations to Matthew Crawford and Christine Rockney-Sidhu for winning back so many GM clients. Not only that, but they were also successful in getting many base dealerships to add a Website Performance Manager to their packages. For the past four months, there’s been a Save 1/Win 1 contest on the WPM team in which there have been 66 opportunities closed! To learn more about how Christine and Matthew worked their magic – and celebrate their success – tune in.

So I guess it doesn’t really matter WHERE we work from anymore since we ALL WORK FROM HOME! But once upon a time there was this little Chicago-based startup called Progressus that was purchased by CDK and now all those folks are Sincro associates. They’ve got a really cool culture and are up to some pretty awesome stuff, so tune in and meet Bailey Catanese, Jess Ohlson, and Daniel Todd to find out more about this incestuous (it’s a joke! You’ll have to listen!) and SUPER COOL group of peeps. And if you have questions about our social advertising, PLEASE reach out to them. They’re MAJOR SMEs.

To listen to the Sincro podcast on your favorite podcast app, subscribe using the RSS feed. https://pinecast.com/feed/driving-digital-podcastUsername: driving-digital-podcastPassword: sincro!

Dale Benere and Michael Jones join us to discuss the differences between Sincro Inventory Manager and the old Lot Merchandiser tool, what feedback they’ve received during UAT, where you can access the SIM, when it goes live for dealers, and more!

Listen to part one of our podcast here: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/49f385fd4abb463f/sincro-inventory-manager-what-it-is-and-why-dealers-will-love-it

Ashley Stafford, Luisa Puentes, Jessica Villa-Lovos, Kim McClure, and Jim Holstine share everything you need to know about Sincro’s Digital Scorecards, including how dealers go about requesting one, what criteria are being considered, and (perhaps most exciting of all) some of the successes and wins we’ve had as a result. If you haven’t heard of our Digital Scorecards, you should definitely tune in. These are an awesome way to establish ourselves as authoritative and helpful in the industry. Have your dealers go to www.sincrodigital.com to request their scorecard today!

By popular demand, we’ve created this weekly series in which the incomparable Mr. Tarell digests and synthesizes Louis Goldobin’s industry insights and parlays them into meaningful ways to engage with current or potential customers. This week, he talks end of quarter/end of month, trucks, and inventory rebound. Per Joe, LOTS of good stuff this week. So tune in! And if you’re not getting Louis’s emails… may we suggest you subscribe?

Jermaine joins us to talk VW website wins, the new electric ID4, and the upcoming Sign Then Drive Event.

Congrats to Pamela Payne for getting our first Net New MINI website customer in years – we’ll have her back on the show to reveal her secrets, don’t worry! Jermaine also updates us on everything else we need to know about MINI right now.

Mr. Knupfer took time out of his busy schedule to talk all things consulting and sales. Tune in to find out what OEMs and dealers are most important to him right now, why he believes it’s important to be intentional about your day, and what he loves about Sincro!

Repackaging efforts are underway! Join Jermaine for more.

In this episode, Jermaine talks inventory shortages, having discussions with BMW dealers about gaining market share, and the fact that they’re increasing their advertising co-op. Tune in!

You can always count on Erin and Alan to offer up invaluable information when it comes to helping out our dealers. In the most recent Clicks 2 Bricks webinar, they focused on the myriad ways in which dealers can drive traffic to their website. From SEO tips to demystifying OTT and Social advertising, to Alan’s crafty pyramid scheme (not really!) there are tons of ideas on what we can bring up in discussion with current and potential customers.

Listen to a recording of their webinar here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/8176122805615884555For ALL webinar resources (including the cost per engagement calculator), go here: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/EWSwyQKLTKBIhNwYKSnLVVoBCscm23e1MqBurvfs4DryXQ?e=9Sp8YE

! You hear your manager say, “log in to Success Factors to blah blah blah…” and you cringe. We get it! That’s way L&I’s senior manager Stacey Overturf has made it her mission to MAKE LEARNING FUN for all of us. And that’s exactly what our new LMS will do (SO LONG SUCCESS FACTORS AND GOOD RIDDANCE!). Stacey tells us all about the new (yet-to-be-named) application, why she loves it (AND YOU WILL TOO!), and how it truly does align with our “in the moment” culture. Say goodbye to frustrating, boring, hour long trainings and say hello to “snackable” trainings that are meant to support you in your moment of need. Are you excited yet? You should be! Tune in and then add LMS 365 on teams. Oh, and bookmark the SNAZZY new Help Site she talks about as well: www.sincrohelp.com

If you could benefit from learning more about luxury dealers, then this podcast is for you. Hillary Linton, Leah Freeborn, and Drew Boboltz talk about luxury dealers – who they are, what matters to them, how they’re different from non-luxury dealers, what hurts they experience, and more. They even go on to share details of strategies they’ve successfully implemented, so you may want to take notes!

Sarah Ross, Meg Richardson, and Randal Gullette join us to explain what a portal is, how it works, why Dealer Groups benefit from having them, how they’re different from jump sites, and basically any other portal-related question you can think of. If you have remaining questions, though, reach out to any of them! They’re here for you.

Huge update, you guys! Our new Ford pricing is available to dealers starting on Monday, October 5th! John Stark tells us all the exciting things about these new packages and once you listen, we’re pretty sure you’ll agree that a Ford dealer would be CRAZY to not sign up with us. Check here for updated package and pricing information: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents&viewpath=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&viewid=d4458216%2D2641%2D453b%2D8407%2Dfa7e9d04dbcc&id=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FOEM%20Solutions%2FFord%20%28Ford%20Direct%29 And don’t forget to attend the immersion this Friday!

By popular demand, we’ve created this new weekly series in which the incomparable Mr. Tarell digests and synthesizes Louis Goldobin’s industry insights and parlays them into meaningful ways to engage with current or potential customers. This week, he gathers inspiration from CarMax’s record revenue reports and Jeep’s 3 year free maintenance.

Digital Operations is undergoing a culture shift in which they are striving to be less transactional and more consultative in their conversations with dealers. If this isn’t something you’re comfortable or have experience with, you may not know where to start. Which is TOTALLY OKAY because Nick Coram, Terance Revel, Max Ronald, and Alia Felton have wonderful stories, ideas, and inspiration to help get you started. These guys are so inspiring, you might want to make sure to have tissues handy. I’m serious – TALK ABOUT THE HEART AND SOUL OF Sincro. Kristopher Peterson and Heather Klein also join the conversation and share some great insight – and the following resource:https://confluence.cdk.com/display/~kristop/Digital+Ops%3A+Elevated+Conversations Still not sure where to start? Reach out to any of the guests on today’s episode. They’re happy to help!

Erin and Drew recently led a dealer-facing webinar in which they shared different strategies to keep shoppers engaged when they may not have what their customers are looking for. They also reminded dealers the importance of being less transactional and more of a destination. There are a lot of valuable tips and tricks in this one, so be sure to tune in! And don’t miss Erin and Alan’s next webinar on October 7th.

Many of you have been asking for help understanding our advertising platform. You’ve likely heard the term “BOS” before – it’s what we tout as one of our differentiators. However, there’s MUCH MORE to our advertising technology than that. Grab a pen and paper and get ready for an education on how our tech works and why it’s so amazing. We’ve included a glossary below for your convenience, since there are more acronyms than you can shake a stick at! (glossary to come)

You’ve uncovered your dealer’s hurt. Now what? Easy! You use Colleen’s new Strategy Selector tool to discover ways in which you can help your dealer solve those hurts with their website – or even with their SEO and/ or advertising. This delightful, user-friendly, and ever-evolving tool is intend to help you, dear listener, help your dealers. If you have any questions or ideas for additional hurts, just let the Google Whisperer know!

Here's a link to the tool: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19bQJ5Aeysn0jOzHRsbemY742Qx_CcUou6afFPKxzcVY/edit?usp=sharing

Louis Goldobin curates, summarizes, and sends weekly brand and informational articles to anyone who wants to be on his distro list. These articles are extremely helpful and allow for Sincro associates to keep their fingers on the pulse of the auto and digital marketing industries. Not sure to do with all this awesome information? Allow Joe Tarell to give you some inspiration and offer ideas on how to start the conversation with your dealers. Want to be on Louis’s email list? Shoot him a note, mailto:louis.goldobin@sincrodigital.com he’d love to add you!

Taylor Grace, Wanda Leung, Victor Moore, and Heather Grady join us to talk about an upcoming enhancement to dealer’s websites: Smart Search. They share WHY it’s awesome (increased conversion -woohoo!), how it works (pretty simple, actually), what went wrong the first time (which is fine, the first pancake never turns out), and what supporting resources we have available for our dealers and you, dear listeners (a ton!).

Check them out here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/Customer-facingMaterials/Es12UTlUeXFLjblmtC9HIEwBkTliPw5TcnTWn-loD35M0g?e=V6NbAB

In last month’s All Hands meeting, we celebrated some Big Sales Wins from our amazing AE. But HOW did they get those wins? Why was Drew able to close Southbay with ONE CALL? Adam Moncrieff, Drew Doran, Christine Carter, and Megan Fraser reveal the secrets (though I guess they’re not really secrets anymore!) of their successes. Anyone can benefit from listening to this episode, but the tips and tricks offered are SURE to help any AE who needs a little support, guidance, or inspiration. Tune in and take notes!

Everyone was clamoring to learn more about schema and structured data during the product roadmap meeting – so here we are! Taylor Grace, Kayla Drewry, Stephanie Brown, and Leah Caglio demystify schema and structured data in a way that ANYONE can understand. They also tell us why it’s important, how dealers benefit, and so much more. Hungry to learn more on the subject? We’ll soon have a Help Topic on our Help Site, but in the meantime, check out the MeBo (http://dm.cdk.com/mebo/view.php?&id=3637) and be sure to read these articles as well: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/intro-structured-data and https://moz.com/learn/seo/schema-structured-data

Listen carefully friends, this one is a bit complicated. First, Steve Valutis discusses winning back GM dealers and has an amazing video resource of Erik Dorrough and Joe Tarell talking about this very subject (find it here: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/Eda5m9ajW4BAotQ_HulvqewBxzUSAUcvJ62qSiIqW6h0Zw?e=Dkx4Hm). Then (and this is where things get tricky!) he goes on to explain the whole 30/90 day issue we’re having with competitors. Per Steve: Bottom line, we need to let the dealer make the decision, but strongly feel that the GM enrollment system is the source of record for billing and dealers should be able to change even before going live. The good news is there’s more supporting documentation here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/DOSsMarketing/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FDOSsMarketing%2FShared%20Documents%2FGeneral%2FSales%20Support%20Materials%20%28Sincro%20Confidential%29%2FOEM%20Solution%20%28Sincro%20Confidential%20Materials%29%2FGM%20%5BUS%5D%20%28Sincro%20Confidential%20Materials%29&p=true&originalPath=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbnNpcmEuc2hhcmVwb2ludC5jb20vOmY6L3MvRE9Tc01hcmtldGluZy9FcTU5eGJESUVIWk1yRUdLMEhtaGxNWUJwVmxKeWRONmtxSk9jQ2VFYmR0V1RnP3J0aW1lPUZ0d2lRak5iMkVn and remember Mr. Valutis is always here to help with any questions you may have!

Let’s welcome Peter Smith to the party, hooray! First, we’ll learn a little bit more about Peter’s history with the company (and a fun fact about his side hustle) – then we’ll dive into INFINITI’s history and talk about their brand strategy, our advertising and package offerings, how we stack up against the competition, and basically everything you need to know before engaging with an INFINITI dealer!

Here are some additional supporting resources: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents&viewpath=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&viewid=d4458216%2D2641%2D453b%2D8407%2Dfa7e9d04dbcc&id=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FOEM%20Solutions%2FINFINITI%20%28Shift%20Digital%29

Here’s the LSBLI document: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?newTargetListUrl=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents&viewpath=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&viewid=d4458216%2D2641%2D453b%2D8407%2Dfa7e9d04dbcc&id=%2Fsites%2FCustomer%2DfacingMaterials%2FShared%20Documents%2FOEM%20Solutions%2FINFINITI%20%28Shift%20Digital%29%2FOEM%2Dprovided%20Docs

Join Teighlor Bodrie and Joe Tarell as they discuss important considerations when engaging with a dealer group, how we tailor solutions for them because of their unique needs, and what truly sets us apart from our competitors. The biggest takeaway here: If you need help creating a plan for a DG after discovering their hurts: Let Teighlor and the Dealer Group Agency help you out!

Here's a great deck for you to reference: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/:p:/r/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B7904A1EE-C3F7-4B7F-8A2D-2196E8F8DC7C%7D&file=Dealer%20Group%20Biz%20Dev%20Deck.pptx&action=edit&mobileredirect=true&cid=0ffb7278-5cde-4fdf-95ee-cd799795697e

If you want to be continually impressed and amazed by how dang smart Sincro associates are, then take a listen to this podcast. Paymon, Drew, and Taylor (Advertising Strategists in the Dealer Group Agency) explain how DG advertising is different from Tier 3 advertising, what the service level looks like, who they work with (both internally and at the DG), and why they like breaking stuff so much. Also of note: The perspective that advertising shouldn’t be used to solve a problem, it should be used to create opportunities and achieve goals. I know I always say this, but tune in! Lot’s of good information here.

Join Victoria Peltier, Carinne Rawlins, and Randal Gullette as they share their backgrounds, the roles and responsibilities of a Marketing Strategist, and what you might be surprised to know about what they do on a daily basis (spoiler alert: EVERYTHING). Once you hear what these women have to say and share what you learn with potential Dealer Group clients, ANY dealership or DG will be begging to work with them! They’re amazing!

It goes without saying that all Sincro associates are awesome, but these folks are especially so. Mike Suggs, Joey Delre, Brigette Furber, and Jin Kim are on the show to talk about what it’s like doing SEO for Dealer Groups. They also share some things you might be surprised to know – like the fact that they do off-platform SEO work! My favorite part of this episode is where they share some of the successes they’ve had. If you ask me, it’s people like these and stories like theirs that we should be sharing with potential Dealer Groups (and the world!).

This is the first of MANY podcasts we’ll be sharing on the topic of the Dealer Group Agency team. In this first episode, Christina and Brian talk about how dealer groups work, what they are, how many we service, how we’re positioned to serve them, what’s unique about the team and SO MUCH MORE. Keep an eye out for our upcoming episodes on Dealer Group Advertising, SEO, Portal solutions, Marketing Strategists, and seriously the list goes on. If you have a question about DGA, reach out to Christina or Brian! They’re here to help!

Our very own Google Whisperer is here to drop knowledge on what Google is up to with advertising this month. The only constant is change, ESPECIALLY in the Googleverse. The most recent curveball includes the removal of advertising keywords that aren’t deemed “significant” in a dealer’s Search Term report. How do they know what’s significant? Great question! Be sure to listen to Colleen’s insight and recommendations on what types of hurt questions we should be asking potential customers about their current advertising in light of this new information. Also! She’s sharing what she knows on our Sincro website. Check it out: https://www.sincrodigital.com/Blog

Need a refresher on advertising tiers in the automotive industry? You’re about to listen to the right podcast then! Josh and Renee review Tiers 1-3, provide an overview of the advertising ecosystem, explain how we work with each tier, and share available resources. It’s this one: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/Customer-facingMaterials/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx

Questions? Comments? Training need? Want to be on the show?! Let us know! https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Ready to listen to a feel-good conversation? Of course you are! Kendall Myers shares her story of revealing her true self to the company and Colleen walks us through the origin story of the PRIDE ERG. This conversation is all about support, inclusion, and awareness. Be sure to join the “Sincro Pride Employee ERG” team you guys – whether you’re LGBTQ+ or an ally who wants to learn more and offer support – ALL ARE WELCOME. Tune in to find out what events they have in the pipeline and learn more about the Designing Inclusion workshop on September 17th. I’m going! Are you?

In this month’s episode, Kristin offers a lot of good information for you to study up on prior to engaging with a potential Hyundai or Genesis dealer. Tune in to find out how we stack up against our competitors – there’s some valuable intel in here. Also find out why digital retailing shouldn’t be an inhibitor – and hear about our cool new toe to toe site: https://portal.sincrowebsites.com/Toe-to-Toe/Inspired

You didn’t think we’d actually talked to every team already, did you?! We are a complex organization with many moving parts. And so is the Earned Marketing team for that matter. Learn more about who they are, why SEO is so important, what Dana, Leah, and Anna want YOU to know about their team, and (I know I always say this) SO MUCH MORE. Dana’s way of explaining why the team is called “Earned Marketing” really lands! And if you need support or have an Earned Marketing question? Email them – they’re happy to help!

It’s not all about being legally compliant when it comes to ADA and our websites. A huge part of the picture that we often overlook is ensuring that our websites offer the best possible experience no matter what a customer’s ability/disability may be. Join Jason and Heather as they talk about that and the best practices that are important to consider when working on a dealer’s site.

If you have questions about ADA, email adahelp@sincrodigital.com

For a transcript of this podcast, click here: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/Eb5xwQeTti5DtzA16B09lbMB5oAbYeIz7Vu3Mo-fOBK2zA?e=2Obnm9

So we can’t tell you ALL the details just yet (only Mr. Goodin and a select few know what those are anyway)… BUT! We can tell you that we are shifting the way we talk about Personalization. Josh shares more about why, what hurts personalization helps address, and also some powerful stats on how providing a 1:1 experience to dealer’s customers positively impacts the dealer’s website and success.

Please enjoy this spirited conversation with Joe Tarell and the gentlemen we shall heretofore refer to as “The Joshes” (Josh Goodin and Josh Daniel) – not just because it’s pretty fun to listen to, but because there are some good nuggets of information on our Digital TV Advertising product. The conversation ranges from recapping the hurt questions (From the Hurt-Master himself) to how we can manage the creative conversation. Also of interest: pricing, differentiators, and what dealers who HAVE the product are saying (maybe not so much what they’re saying, but what they’re doing!). This is a good one, gang.

Here’s the link to Mr. Daniel’s tool: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Digital+TV

Did you miss part 1? Listen here: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/da8fd367f6dd45e9/required-listening-digital-tv-advertising-with-josh-goodin-and-joe-tarell

NEW Helpful Digital TV Advertising FAQ: https://sincro.adobeconnect.com/p86shj5ch0u4/

And if you have questions or need support, email thejoshes@sincrodigital.com (Just kidding. You’ll have to reach out to them individually. But they’re happy to hear from you and help!)

No, our contracts aren’t signed with Ford yet, but we are SO CLOSE! Join John Stark as he gives us the scoop on what we should be talking to Ford dealers about this month (and heck, even the rest of the year.) He also mentions that we should be getting them signed up for Digital TV advertising – and we couldn’t agree more. Here’s a refresher if you need it: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/da8fd367f6dd45e9/required-listening-digital-tv-advertising-with-josh-goodin-and-joe-tarell

Jayson is part of the Digital Operations team that builds out designs for our website platform. Learn more about the team, including what they do, what they think about, and how they fit into the bigger picture. This episode is just another opportunity to get to know more of the amazing folks working at Sincro. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: We have the Coolest people!

Click here for the audio transcript of our show> https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/EcMtijknRIdDsRzdo4Yg3YsBBVtBBK_Ue_zAlyW3QYjl_Q?e=Ashc3a

In part 2 of our series, we expand the conversation on Facebook and Social Suite with Kristin Falck, Jacob Alessi AS WELL AS Joe Tarell, Drew Doran, and Christine Carter. They share SO MUCH information on how to help educate dealers on the product and how it can actually be a foot in the door to grow our business with them. We encourage you to draw inspiration from Christine and Drew’s success stories and please reach out to Kristin and Jake if you need help educating your dealers on this amazing product. We’re the only ones in the auto industry with this Facebook partnership right now, so we have to get while the getting is good, y’all!

Did you miss part 1? That's okay! Listen now: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/623fe3b1ba744eaf/the-social-advertising-climate-and-our-partnership-with-facebook

Digital TV Advertising is a hot (if not slightly confusing) topic in our world today. Josh just led an internal sales training on the subject, and there’s much more to come. In the first of our two (maybe three!) part series, Josh and Joe share important insights on the subject. From how to START the conversation with a dealer (AE friends, This is important! Take notes!), to why it’s so important and what hurts it helps dealers solve, there are a lot of helpful insights in here. Consider this episode to cover working up the left side of the triangle… next time we’ll work our way down the right (where Josh Daniel and Renee Graff will join in on the fun!)

Part two: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/34f4f1e581204350/digital-tv-advertising-part-deux

Transcript of the podcast available here: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/EdAHYnvUuOVBrAMInD0-dJcBmvBEs4oXiUFGleF4edFfgQ?e=w4Xs1K

Connect with US here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Dennis and I have pretty much got this five minute thing down to a science. In this month’s episode, Dennis shares updates on our one-time GMB optimization for Nissan dealers (and how that will parlay directly into an opportunity to sell them our Enhanced GMB offering!), how many Nissan dealers are on our new packaging, and what incentives Nissan has going on right now. Tune in!

Need the transcript? Here you go: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/EXcwYgm3VKpDrucNQgktdHoBtXdNc4PMFmnEkecH_Z8Qkg?e=L1gtyR

Four podcasts with Jermaine, hooray! In our time chatting about Mazda, Jermaine tells us why it isn’t bad news that we’ve been removed from their advertising program. Find out why!

Did you miss the Mazda immersion? Listen to the recording at the link below!

Confluence page for Mazda: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Mazda+Digital+Marketing+ProgramMazda Immersion: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/0690b00000CfRnNMazda article on going premium: https://www.autonews.com/sales/mazdas-complicated-journey-premium

Stay in the know with our update from Jermaine on what’s happening in the MINI channel. Want to know which model is on every MINI dealer’s mind? Tune in!

Confluence Page for MINI: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/MINI+Digital+Marketing+Program2021 Countryman details: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32674660/2021-mini-countryman-revealed/#:~:text=May%2026%2C%202020-,Mini,this%20summer.

Shoutout to Drew Doran and Christine Gering who just scored net-new VW customers, hooray! Jermaine also has some exciting news for VW dealerships .Tune in for more. Oh and also, if you need a refresher on our video calling solution, take a listen to this podcast: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/59cad5bfc2a74798/sincro-s-new-video-calling-with-chris-cunninghams

Confluence Page for VW: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Volkswagen+Digital+Marketing+ProgramSign Anywhere: https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/volkswagen-of-america-activates-sign-anywhere-across-dealer-network/

It’s our first BMW update with Jermaine! We’ve got a dealer website that will be going live (Enterprise BMW, https://www.enterprisebmw.com/) – so now you’ve got something you can show interested BMW dealers! He also gives some tips on what else you should be talking about with BMW dealers. And if you need a refresher on the subject, listen to this next: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/259fa308e51a4ce3/need-to-know-our-new-accessibility-tool-with-jason-jewert

Confluence page for BMW: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/BMW+Digital+Marketing+ProgramFirst site is live! https://www.enterprisebmw.com/

We’re excited to share that we’re starting a new series of Back to Basics on our products and customers! In this episode, Kate Newton walks us through Call Tracking Numbers including what they are, why dealers should use them, and the support paths you can follow if you have questions. She also tells us about the huge audit she’s working on – and you guys, she updated more than 200 THOUSAND CTN. Holy Cow! Yes, almost a quarter million!

Find the transcript of our podcast here: https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/ES8D6MBu4BhBpyaFRn7riocBi4yeZd4qZnQcTkO3i9GA2w?e=YEwqoL

Some other resources you can bookmark:• GM Marchex: Where you can find your default Sales and default Service website CTNsLog in at: https://www.marchex.io/Email help alias: gm-usersupport@marchex.com

• Sincro Marchex: Where you can find all other CTNs such as advertising CTNsLog in at: http://calls.cobaltgroup.com/loginEmail help alias: mca-cdk@marchex.com

• Escalation path: Read through the FAQ (https://ansira-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/stacey_overturf_sincrodigital_com/Edkly1oFUoJFgaKUcjNOte4BfogJCvBat-Gd0zpStURkiQ) If you can’t find an answer, you can email one of the support aliases above, or you can create a

JIRA ticket on the KOPs (Knowledge and Operations) board - https://projects.cdk.com/projects/KOPS/issues

Where can I find my CTNs? • We have 2 interfaces of Marchex, one for Sincro and one for GM. CTNs are located in the “Ad List” tab, under the “Inbound Number” column.o Default Sales and Service CTNs are located under the GM username in Marchex (https://www.marchex.io/). o All other CTNs should be located in the Sincro instance of Marchex (http://calls.cobaltgroup.com/login)

How can I get a Marchex account?• Email mca-cdk@marchex.com

How can I update my ring-to/forward to numbers?• To update default sales or default service numbers, email gm-usersupport@marchex.com• To update any other CTNs (advertising of any kind, Parts, Fleet, etc.), email mca-cdk@marchex.com

How can I get new CTNs if some disappear?• If you need new default sales or default service numbers, email gm-usersupport@marchex.com• To get new CTNs for any other purpose (such as advertising), email mca-cdk@marchex.com• Info that Marchex will need when you email:o BACo Web-ido Campaign Name that the CTN will be for (be exact & spell things correctly, they will input whatever you tell them)o Primary or Service number (choose one)o Ring-to number (the number you want the CTN to forward to)

What should I use as a ring-to number?• You can email the GM Marchex support and ask what ring-to numbers they are using for the Default Primary and Default Service numbers. Alternatively, you could ask the dealer what number they want to use.

What should I do if my CTNs in Marchex and WSM don’t match? • Make sure they aren’t mismatched due to a dealer request (for example, if the dealer requested not to use CTNs.) If you are certain they are wrong, fix the CTN in WSM, save and publish the website. You could also open up a tech support case or ask the WPM to help you update the CTN. Test the CTN by calling it & check 24 hours later in DCC to make sure the data is flowing correctly.

In the first of our two-part series, Kristin Falck and Jacob Alessi set the stage by talking about the social space within automotive, the history of our partnership with Facebook, what Vehicle Catalogs are, and what to keep in mind when selling or speaking to our social solutions. Stay tuned for our next episode in which we’ll talk about how to sell our product to dealers.

Once you're done with part 1, check out part 2: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/5b22252eb00140c9/how-to-sell-social-suite-success-stories-and-tips

Daily Drive Podcast: https://www.autonews.com/weekend-drive-podcast/daily-drive-podcast-july-30-2020-how-facebook-helping-dealers-connect

Playbook: https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.8562-6/84502725_637335810426569_1002974859044585472_n.pdf?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=ad8a9d&_nc_ohc=pIP7kqPlI_4AX-tpt0B&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.xx&oh=b102e8804a039d7cfb7c5486adfe96b4&oe=5F63F52C

Facebook Auto Marketing Collective Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/automarketingcollective/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Erin Zaborac and Alan Krutsch spend time with us reviewing their most recent Clicks to Bricks webinar for Nissan dealers on “Improving the Customer Experience – Websites to Leads.” You might want to take notes on this one, too! Whether you’re an AE selling net-new business or a WPM, anyone can benefit from listening to their helpful tips on websites, heatmapping, mobile engagement, lead handling, and SO MUCH MORE. The best thing about this episode? They’re just so fun to engage with.

They’ll be hosting a webinar for ALL dealers (and you can come too!) on September 16th. Stay tuned for the link. And catch the recording of their last session here:

Webinar Recording: Clicks to Bricks – Improving the Customer Experiencehttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/6105533502508140040Clicks to Bricks: Driving Traffic to Your WebsiteThursday September 24th8am PDT / 10am CDT / 11am EDTor12pm PDT / 2pm CDT / 3pm EDTRegister Herehttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/5973703157831178252?source=FollowUp

We just dropped a new training (Check it out here: https://sincro.adobeconnect.com/pge3v0g3wr9h/) with a lot of valuable information on communicating with metrics. The incomparable and lovely ladies that are Stacey Overturf and Luisa Puentes joined me to chat about this topic, which is very near and dear to their hearts. Join them as they share engaging stories of what works and what doesn’t when talking about numbers with our clients. Then DEFINITELY take our training. It’s easily digestible and ENJOYABLE too!

Here’s the book that Luisa draws her inspiration from: https://www.amazon.com/Presentation-Zen-Simple-Design-Delivery/dp/0321811984

PresentationZen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter)

Yes, we talk about GMB a lot. But it’s relevant and important! Erin Zaborac, Alan Krutsch, and Ryan Bertollini join us to recap the webinar they held for dealers on GMB. Not only was it the largest attended webinar yet (450 people!) – but there were OEM reps and partners in attendance as well. EVERYONE is talking about GMB, and after this webinar dealers are practically throwing their money at us. Find out why, and what you can say to win your dealers over now.

Recording: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/06410a16200e4c9c85f5b827b75fe7c5/recording/503ec3b21e654e23b6c0f093295fdff1/watch?source=CHANNEL

presentation: https://media-dmg.assets-cdk.com/teams/repository/export/v/2/0a2/2da40083c100684ef0050568ba825/0a22da40083c100684ef0050568ba825.pdf

Our Vehicle Insights tool has been out for a few months now and it turns out it’s a SENSATION. Marcus and Jasmine share how they feel about the new tool and how they’ve gotten unengaged dealers RE-ENGAGED. They ALSO spill some of the awesome vehicle merchandising strategies they’ve implemented with their dealers thanks to our innovative tool – from troubleshooting pricing and photo issues to getting those darn cars that won’t sell OFF THE LOT! There are a ton of good tips in this one, so tune in.

Did you miss our first episode on Vehicle Insights with Ulrika Beard? Listen to it now: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/55d5aaa69b7f40b1/a-game-changing-tool-sincro-s-new-vehicle-insights-dashboard

Have a question or comment for us? https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

First off, let’s get the petition going for Mark Garrett to put his hair in a man bun. Secondly, learn all about Michael Eggerling and his mighty team of Amie, Ashley, Lisa and Dan. They’re not just marketers marketing marketing – they need your help! Listen to our interview to learn why. And then fill out the form below:

https://form.asana.com/?hash=951332f0552fa8d0e613498658c98c32cb983471b27537ca8fdcd9fe42d50495&id=1185561651370753

The wildly popular “Getting to Know Your Teams” series continues with Advertising Tech Product. Join Josh, Alex, and Travis as they talk about what their team does (I think I understand now…), which one of them doesn’t know who Hawkeye or Black Widow are (HELP HIM), who their customers are (it’s not a quick answer), and what you guys need to be talking to your dealers about RIGHT NOW (Spoiler Alert: It’s Digital TV advertising… and don’t worry, Josh will be back again to tell us everything we need to know!). In the meantime, tune in. These guys are great.Supporting Resources: • T3/DG: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/Digital+TV+Advertising+FAQs+and+Definitions • Enterprise Groups: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/T2+Digital+TV+Sales+Materials+and+FAQs

I hope I don’t sound too sensationalist when I say how amazing our guests are. But really, it’s true! I can’t get over how many AWESOME peeps Sincro has. Join Angie as she tells us about her incredible team, what they think about, how they work, what you should keep in mind about them, and so much more. Also, she offers her top tips on how to help dealers move their used inventory.

Sincro has the best Tier 2 advertising solution on the market, and I’m not just saying that because I’m biased. Our AI 3.0 is AMAZING! In this episode, Janell tells us more about it AND gives us a great refresher on how Tier 2 advertising works, who our customers are, and how YOU dear listener can help us grow our business in this space. See more supporting resources below.

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

India may be on the opposite end of the earth, but let’s find a way to connect with the India team more you guys! They’re just AWESOME. Join us as we talk to Ravi Motwani and Akash Nirabrha about the India teams – including how many associates they have, how they’re celebrating their Independence Day (FUN!!), and the ways in which we can strengthen our connections with them (cooking and yoga classes??? WHO IS IN!) Are you interested in learning more about Indian culture? Ravi suggests you visit the country… but if that’s not in the cards right now, check out Culture of India on Wikipedia.

Dale Benere and Mike Jones join us to talk about our new Lot Merchandiser (now known as the SIM. Another acronym! Yay!). In today’s episode, they talk about how it’s different from the old one, why they’re getting it built so dang quick, and they even give us the inside scoop of future enhancements to the tool. It’s going to make everyone’s lives so much easier… especially dealer’s! Tune in to learn why. And also tune in because these guys are just entertaining!

You asked, we answered! Many have you have expressed interest in getting to know the various teams within Sincro – so today we peek behind the CTA curtain. Join us as we talk to Sean O’Reilly, Maxwell Ronald, and Jermaine Ryan about what they do, what “in the moment” means to them, what their challenges are and how their role has evolved during their time here. Do you have more questions for our tech support friends? Let us know!

Questions, comments, ideas? Reach out to us at the link below: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Guys! We have a UX team! Did you know?! If not, you should. AND you should listen to this podcast immediately because Amy Tang and Nathan Langston are amazing human beings. Tune in to learn more about this six person team, including what projects they are involved in (um, everything), how things have changed now that we’re Sincro, and what they need from you. Turns out, a lot. Let’s get our UX team involved in the conversation. Inclusion is everything these days, right?!

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.This is the basic UX Homepage - https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/Digital+UX+Team

Here is our "Menu Board." Like a take-out menu but for UX involvement. https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/UX+Design+Menu+BoardPlease find the links we mentioned in our recording below. And shoot us an email with thoughts, questions, and ideas. We love hearing from you! podcast@sincrodigital.com

Here’s info on Nathan’s art project from a few years back, similar to what he’s working on now: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/arts/design/telephone-an-international-arts-experiment-by-nathan-langston.html

Steve packs a lot into five minutes this month you guys! Keep an eye out for supporting brand materials on GM later this week or early next week! Steve also talks about D2C2, what to keep in mind when engaging with our dealers, and gives us a refresher on the enrollment process.

Here’s the MeBo post he referenced with more info on D2C2: http://dm.cdk.com/mebo/search.php?search=d2c2

Consider this a lesson on why it’s important for the Sales and Agency teams to work together. Learn how Lauren and Violet worked together to secure the business of our first BMW customer, part of the Bergstrom Automotive Group. From using the triangle to the secret sauce that is David Stalzer, they have a lot of great insight to share.

If you have questions or a training need, let us know here: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

If you don’t know who Colleen Harris is, you should! After listening to this podcast we DARE you not to love her. Colleen breaks down the Google Analytics beast into bite-sized nuggets of information (AND WHO DOESN’T LOVE NUGGETS) that are easy to understand, implement, and are endlessly helpful to our dealers. She’s the Google Whisperer for a reason, you guys. ALSO! Fun facts about her background… you’ll never believe what she did before joining the company. Listen now, we promise you’ll love this one.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-whisperers-guide-analytics-setting-useful-alerts-harris/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-whisperers-guide-enabling-site-search-analytics-colleen-harris/

We have to be honest: This is a hard one to summarize... It's probably best to just listen. Osman tells us about his teams, his proudest moment, what he’s reading, and what advice he has to offer. But there's just so much more to our interview than that. Osman exudes humanity, intelligence, compassion, wisdom, and thoughtfulness. But that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Enjoy and tell us what you think! What did Osman say that resonated with you? Let us know.

We will definitely be having Jodi back on the show to tell us which OEM you want her to talk about! In this episode, she breaks down our OEM clients, talks about the folks on her team, which OEM we want to go after next, what “at risk” means to us, and SO SO much more. Fun fact: When GM went bankrupt, they kept their contracts with steel and us. Amazing, right? Tune in for even more gems.

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Talk about small but mighty. Learn all about the products this team supports as well as what hurts they help dealers solve. Heath throws down a challenge for our AE listeners too. You game?! If you have questions or need support, shoot them an email at socialrep@sincrodigital.com

Find more supporting resources here:https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=226068312

That first link has links to everything, but sometimes it's easier for folks to have links directly to the collateral, so here it is for each:

GM: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version?id=0680b00000ApJSQNon-GM: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version?selectedDocumentId=0690b000006ak98

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

In this episode, Alia Felton, Shawn Sullivan and Kimberly Trombley continue the conversation on Sincro’s content team by revealing some of their biggest challenges, what Go-to-Market is like for them, and what YOU can do to help!

Did you miss Part 1? No problem! Listen to it now: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/05751b4b0d854871/getting-to-know-the-content-team

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Okay, friends! Time to get on the horn with our Ford dealers and prospects. You need to be talking to them about accessories, F-150, and Bronco reservations. Is that too vague? Of course it is – we want you to hear what John Stark has to say. Tune in for the scoop!

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Jason just led a presentation on our new collaboration with AccessiBe. In case you missed it, tune in to find out what you need to know about the tool, how it works, and what resources are available to you.

Listen to Jason’s original presentation here: https://ansira.zoom.us/rec/play/tJd-de_7qWk3T9aRsQSDC_dxW9XvKfms0XdK-6YNyk6xUSQHZ1GnYroQYeM6CYzCTwKeNWm6PXRCiSkX?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=QWI3p1MqTsmHZrORy4FZHQ.1595944769196.ee01ca722d084067cc038cbd36d51562&_x_zm_rhtaid=502

Password: t*0mrjKV

Here’s the dealer facing one sheet and FAQ: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/Customer-facingMaterials/EsbmqhJ4ZbRKsEkBmRSnWPwBie6v96y_WuDLaAAZjjfNyA?e=hqISzt

Register for the dealer-facing webinar (or send this link to your dealers!) on August 6th here: https://ansira.zoom.us/rec/play/tJd-de_7qWk3T9aRsQSDC_dxW9XvKfms0XdK-6YNyk6xUSQHZ1GnYroQYeM6CYzCTwKeNWm6PXRCiSkX?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=QWI3p1MqTsmHZrORy4FZHQ.1595944769196.ee01ca722d084067cc038cbd36d51562&_x_zm_rhtaid=502

Dealer Facing Landing Page: https://www.sincrodigital.com/Websites/Accessibility

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Ever wonder what the content folks (yes, I say that word too much) DO all day? A WHOLE LOT! That’s what. This conversation was so engaging and lively we decided to turn it into a two-parter. Join Alia Felton, Shawn Sullivan and Kimberly Trombley as they share their backgrounds, how their role has evolved during their time here, what “in the moment” means to them and SO MUCH MORE!

Part 2 is available now. Listen here: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/3ba373b9b1844be9/getting-to-know-the-content-team-part-2

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Jim Jensen, Mat Clift, Dan Conces and Christine Carter offer insight into important things to consider before engaging with dealers. Tune in for great tools, strategies and examples of what has worked for them. Free wisdom and advice? Why not!

We’ve repackaged about half of our dealers you guys – let’s get the rest of them over! Also! Our new packages are less expensive (and better!) than DDC’s, so now’s the time to get more Nissan dealerships to join the Sincro party. If you need help with talk tracks, we’ve got your back. In other news, Nissan is rebranding, coming out with an electric car, and trying out a new digital retailing tool. Tune in for the scoop – and take notes! Dennis has a lot of good info for you.

Attached is the campaign that we launched for dealer.com conquest and includes talk tracks for the AE’s.

Here is the link to the internal confluence page for the NEXT logo update: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/Nissan+Logo+Update+July+2020This will allow anyone to track the progress of this effort as we plan to have everything updated by Nov 1.

Lastly, here is one of the Sincro stores that Nissan has selected for their pilot of CarSaver Digital Retailing. There are a couple others, but they are on competitive sites.https://shopathome.carsaver.com/profile/get-started?utm_source=dealer-plugin&utm_medium=buy-button&utm_campaign=uftring-nissan-39079&utm_content=If just going to the site, you can look at any inventory unit and click on “Buy Now” to start the process.

Nissan DDC Conquest CY20Q3Document Version: 7.17.2020_V1

Objective: Sales teams are asked to reach out to Nissan Prospect Dealers currently with Dealer.COM. These Nissan dealers are prospective/conquest dealer opportunities to entice with an unhook offer leveraging Sincro Support – In The Moment Support, New Packages, Site Speeed and ADA compliance.

Nissan DDC Conquest CY20Q3 Dashboard: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/01Z0b000000h9m2

Sales Responsibilities:

Reach out to dealer and introduce Sincro, yourself and help identify the dealer pain points that may help unhook them from their current provider.
Introduce to the dealer a the benefit they can gain with going with a Sincro Package.
Change the Campaign status into Salesforce activity type in SF a. Details below in Salesforce instructions.
Input detailed notes into Salesforce:a. Once you reach out to the Nissan dealer: copy & paste the template text into the comments section of your activity with relevant details: “Talked over phone with dealer introduction Sincro and available New Packages on date [XX]. Dealer [is interested] or [does not intend change providers] from DDC and any painpoints identified (xxx, xxx, xxx, etc.)”b. Update the Campaign Member Status

Talk Tracks:• Prospect/Conquest Dealerso Sincro—Talk about what the new company can do for the dealer and why it’s different than CDK.o Sincro support is better than in the past and vastly better than Dealer.como New “In the moment” service or WPM in Platinum package vs. Dealer.com only has reactive Support – Only offers technical support in packages, even with add-on lacks strategic guidance (WPM)o New Package options demonstrate Sincro commitment to providing all of the features and functionality vs. Dealer.com baits dealers to higher level package – Force dealers to Level 2 package to receive OEM incentives and inventory exports Sincro Package Options that are better than dealers have had in the past Sincro is DR a

Platinum for the price of Gold through August, you guys! Go get those MINI dealers with this awesome website package promo we’ve got going on. And shoot for the double play with BMW! You can do it – we believe in you!https://www.miniusanews.com/newsrelease.do?id=1192&mid=239Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Let’s tout our ‘In the moment service’ and all-inclusive platform with potential Mazda dealers. Listen as Jermaine shares what else we need to know with Mazda this month. https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/mazda-reports-june-sales-results-2/Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

We haven’t had any new signups in VW yet.. so now is the time to engage with our VW dealers. So far we’ve only engaged with 33 out of 600 or so! There are a lot of interesting things happening as far as digital retailing and model launches are concerned, so tune in for the scoop! And check out the supporting resources below: https://media.vw.com/en-us/releases/1347 http://newsroom.vw.com/vehicles/future-cars/how-the-pandemic-has-changed-the-auto-industry-and-made-evs-more-inevitable/Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

No, you’re not having déjà vu. GA is such a beast that it’s a topic worth having MULTIPLE webinars on. In this round, Erin and Alan discuss which reports dealers should be reviewing on a weekly and monthly basis as well as (and perhaps most importantly) how WPM and AE should be baking Google Analytics into their conversations with dealers.

Listen to their original webinar here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/6094880333595513864

Continue to educate yourself on Google Analytics with these resources shared by Alan Krutsch:https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/

https://www.brianpasch.com/product/hyper-local-marketing-handbook/

https://www.amazon.com/Car-Dealers-Guide-Google-Business/dp/B084DFY33C

And spoiler alert! We’ll be talking to Colleen Harris on this very topic in the near future. So make sure you’re subscribing to our podcast.

If you missed our first episode with Erin and Alan on Google Analytics, listen here: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/f2d77ac76519475c/the-importance-of-google-analytics-with-erin-zaborac-and-alan-krutsch

Questions, comments, ideas? Reach out to us at the link below: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Are you talking to dealers about their used strategy? Probably! But are you considering everything Mike, Heather, and Nick share with us in this chat? Probably NOT! Tune in for tips and ideas on developing a holistic approach to help your dealers with their used cars and trade-ins. They have amazing insight and ideas.

We always used to say Owner Marketing (AKA Email Marketing) was one of our company’s best kept secrets…. But the secret’s out! Join us as Jay and Patrick explain what it is, how it all began, and how dealers benefit from having this product. Once you listen, we’re pretty sure you’ll agree that EVERY dealer should have this. And if you still have questions after listening to this podcast, feel free to send Patrick or Jay an email directly! There’s also this handy dandy link: https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=223446757

Questions, comments or suggestions? Fill out this easy peasy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Kathleen Waite and Leah Freeborn share the Pit Crew origin story, how their event planning has evolved in our new work-from-home world, and what fun things we have to look forward to!

If you have ideas or want to be involved in the Pit Crew, you can reach out to either Kathleen or Leah – or email them at Seattlepitcrew@cdk.com. (And yes, they know they really need to update their email alias. Working on it!) Check out their calendar here: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/entity/com.microsoft.teamspace.tab.wiki/tab::c3bfbfd9-0133-4390-8f31-2e11d49885e9?context=%7B%22subEntityId%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22pageId%5C%22%3A4%2C%5C%22sectionId%5C%22%3A7%2C%5C%22origin%5C%22%3A2%7D%22%2C%22channelId%22%3A%2219%3A35ed0ec93aa34315a1d14db15dc0f9b4%40thread.tacv2%22%7D&tenantId=64f8aeda-c9ea-4be5-a09b-4f46508d43d3

Mark joins us today to talk about the importance of brand voice as well as specifically what Sincro’s voice is. He also walks us through all the key considerations (THERE ARE A TON) when it comes to building a new brand, what his vision is for future marketing of our company both internally and externally, AND the makeup of his team. (Watch out Eggerling and Josh… you’re next!) All super interesting stuff. Take a listen!

Find all of our brand resources here: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Sincro+Brand+Resources

Questions, comments, ideas? Click on the link below! We'd love to hear from you.https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Kristin shares the latest incentives and vehicle launches from Genesis with us. Check out the GV80 and G80 launch pages here: https://www.genesisofgoshen.com/GV80 and https://www.genesisofgoshen.com/2021-Genesis-G80Questions, comments, or ideas for a future show? Let us know! https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Tune in for the scoop on Hyundai this month! Here’s more information on the Clean Assurance Program: https://www.lagunahyundai.com/Clean_AssuranceQuestions, comments, or ideas for a future show? Let us know! https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

None other than the President. Of. Sincro. sat down with us you guys! Jen is SO gracious, patient, warm, authentic, insightful, and whip smart, it's amazing! Listen to our interview with her to learn more about her career path, her vision for Sinco, and how she feels about our new work from home culture. She also has some tips for all us parents of young children out there. Let's of good information - straight from the source!

Anna Daugherty and Leah Caglio join us to discuss one of Sincro’s newest offerings: IgniteSEO. They explain what it is, how it works, how much it costs, and which dealers need it right now. Tune in for the scoop and check out the following resource: https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=235739869

Von Galt runs monthly GM SFE webinars, but EVERYONE IS INVITED – and you should attend if you can. Her topics are always relevant, timely, and often based on survey response from dealers. This month she share the importance of inclusion and diversity on social media – and how Sincro associates can help celebrate that message in ALL of their digital portfolio.

To catch up on previous webinars, and so you have access to all her wonderful tips, click here: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/projects/nse48khps8

Show notes: Short, sweet, and to the point, John shares Ford’s exciting news for the month. Watch the full reveal of the F-150 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg3_4JAKlmw

It's our first reprise, you guys! The holidays are upon us so we thought we'd bring two relevant podcasts right back up in front of your pretty little noses. If you missed our conversation with Lyndsey Hartje and Alia Felton about holiday content and being mindful of the images we use, then now's your chance to hear it again!And in our other redux, we talk used inventory. Teighlor Bodrie tells us about the importance of shifting to a used inventory focus (as well as giving some love to the less popular new VINs). If you need inspiration on ways in which you can help our customers, this podcast is a must-listen! Check out these amazing (and robust!) resources below:White Paper: https://mailchi.mp/sincrodigital/inventoryshortfall Dealer-Facing Webinar Recording: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/06410a16200e4c9c85f5b827b75fe7c5/recording/e50a23b1ed4145d8ac1403698138179b/watch?source=CHANNELhttps://www.gotostage.com/channel/06410a16200e4c9c85f5b827b75fe7c5/recording/e50a23b1ed4145d8ac1403698138179b/watch?source=CHANNEL

Hot off the heels of their most recent Clicks 2 Bricks webinar for Nissan dealers, Erin and Alan discuss why dealers need to own their own Google Analytics account and why GA is so important to their business.

Listen to our second session with Erin and Alan here: https://driving-digital-podcast.pinecast.co/episode/c674d3245b4d4b23/google-analytics-with-erin-zaborac-and-alan-krutsch-part-two-

Questions, comments, ideas? Click on the link below! We'd love to hear from you. https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

The magic words are RETENTION and CONQUESTING this month! But that’s not all. Dennis covers a lot of information in our update today, including the two exciting new models Nissan is releasing, details on their upcoming Fourth of July offer, and how we are doing on our repackaging efforts (pretty well as it turns out!). Listen to our podcast for even more.

Questions, comments, ideas? Click on the link below! We'd love to hear from you.https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you use Apple podcasts, you will need to update your password to sincro! to see all new episodes. We suggest unsubscribing and then following the instructions on thisConfluence page to resubscribe, just to be sure!

Teighlor joins us to discuss her recent dealer-facing webinar in which she emphasizes the importance of shifting to a used inventory focus (as well as giving some love to the less popular new VINs). If you need inspiration on ways in which you can help our customers, this podcast is a must-listen! Check out these amazing (and robust!) resources below:Inventory Shortfalls White Paper: https://mailchi.mp/sincrodigital/inventoryshortfallwhitepaperDealer-Facing Webinar Recording: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/06410a16200e4c9c85f5b827b75fe7c5/recording/e50a23b1ed4145d8ac1403698138179b/watch?source=CHANNELhttps://www.gotostage.com/channel/06410a16200e4c9c85f5b827b75fe7c5/recording/e50a23b1ed4145d8ac1403698138179b/watch?source=CHANNEL

Our new website packages are almost ready, but that doesn't mean you should wait to engage with Mazda dealers. We currently have 24 dealers - and the next up is Dealer Fire with 46. Let's get after it, you guys!

Mazda Confluence Page: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Mazda+Digital+Marketing+Program

Competitive Intel on DDC and Dealer Inspire (Located in the BMW Immersion Deck): https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/BMW+Digital+Marketing+Program?preview=/244204250/245934355/BMW_Immersion_Sales%20FINAL.pptx.pdf

Have questions or suggestions? Let us know by clicking on the link below: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

We have a great website package promo available to MINI dealers right now. Jermaine gives us the details, so tune in!

MINI Confluence Page: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/MINI+Digital+Marketing+Program

MINI Enrollment Site: http://minidealerprograms.com/

Questions, comments, ideas? Click on the link below! We'd love to hear from you.https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

Let's talk to our VW dealers about advertising this month. With the 2020 VW Burst campaign coming up, it's really the perfect time.

For More information on the VW Burst Campaign: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Volkswagen+Digital+Marketing+Program

Questions, comments, ideas? Click on the link below! We'd love to hear from you.https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

We’ve got three things to talk about: Win-backs, SFE, and inventory levels. Steve set the timer and stuck to five minutes! Check it out.

Why is the DOC role so important and what sorts of wins have they had so far? Jim Jensen and Mat Clift answer those questions and so much more in today's show.

You will find all updated materials here (https://confluence.cdk.com/x/sDmODg) including:• Dealer-facing deck• One Sheet• Internal Sales Toolkit• DOC/WPM Comparison Chart

Did you know we provide GM advertising to Non-Sincro sites? That’s right! Even if a dealer chooses to go with a different website vendor (beats us why they would do that…), we are still able to provide our advertising to them. Kate McClenny tells us everything we need to know about the solution, including how many dealers are currently with us and where the advertising metrics live.Confluence: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/GM+Advertising+to+Non-Sincro+SitesSMEs: • T1 ads – Kate Larsen & Chris Sanders• T2 ads – Keegan Malmanger & Jeroen van Diessen • T3 ads – Ashley Wicklund & Chris Sanders

Have an idea for our next show? Want to talk with us? Fill out this quick and easy form: https://ansira.sharepoint.com/sites/LearningandInsights/SitePages/Request-Help.aspx.

You’ve spent the week learning about WPM – now let’s get tactical and talk about the hurts the WPM role helps a dealer solve. Our power panel clarifies the differences between Sincro’s many support roles, the key ways in which having a WPM can benefit a dealer, how to identify if a dealer even NEEDS a WPM (let’s be honest though: they probably do), and what DAE should do before they even engage with a dealership to talk about a WPM. Sound like a lot? It is – but it’s all good. Just maybe take notes!

Mike has been with Cobalt/CDK/Sincro for almost TEN years, and he started as an advocate with us. You better believe this guy has got some good things to say. Take a listen!

Variety is the spice of life, friends. This time, Kelsey is in the hot seat and shares some important information that will help you speak to this KEY Sincro role.

There are a few things you should know about the WPM role, and Jasmine’s going to tell you what they are. From wins she’s had in teaming with sales to what every DAE should know, there’s lots of good intel here. And spoiler alert: We have two more WPM you’ll be hearing from later this week! Can’t say you don’t know what a WPM does now, right?

If you find yourself asking how a WPM is different from an Advocate, then you should take a listen to this! Meg shares some of her wins with dealers and talks about how her relationship with them has changed during COVID. She also reveals how she develops her skills and keeps herself sharp in this ever-evolving industry.

Episode Notes

Chris is hot off the heels of his Video Calling webinar with dealers, and boy was it ever well-received. Learn more about what it is and how it works – and best of all, the special offer we have for dealers who sign up this month!

Don’t miss these key resources below:

• Check this MeBo: http://dm.cdk.com/mebo/view.php?id=4249

• Playbook: https://cdk.sharefile.com/d-sb139d042fa74763aVideo Calling One sheet: https://confluence.cdk.com/download/attachments/242481751/Sincro%20Video%20Calling%20One%20Sheet.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1590776709946&api=v2Product page on Sincrodigital.com: https://www.sincrodigital.com/Video-Calling

As with everything, there are benefits and setbacks to our new reality of being virtual. It's certainly leveled the playing field! Tune in to hear Cindy and Janell share valuable insights and wisdom on how to make the most of virtual meetings - and find some additional support below. If YOU have tips or tricks on what works for you when working from home - let us know!

Resource links are available on the following Confluence page: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/COVID-19+-+Employee+Resources

Have you listened to our "No Need to Apologize" series? Find the consulting team here: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/qoje5kv4a8Marketing, Learning & Insights: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/1qm1pcnl9y Operations: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/7x5d5qzhl8Product and Development: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/rmet6hlfscEnterprise Solutions and Sales: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/mvfg2pw4oxDigital Agency: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/pe5stmxomlLaunch: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/yah0r066f8

This is huge news! If you’re getting ready to engage with a BMW dealer (you are, aren’t you?), take a listen to the critical information David Stalzer shares with us.

• Email for enrollment or wpm cancellations: info@bmwdealerprograms.com

We know dealers aren't one size fits all, so we can accommodate their needs completely. Back when we were CDK, we had Connected Store as our digital retailing solution. Now that we are Sincro, we don't have one - which is a really good thing! Learn more about what falls under the digital retailing umbrella and what our stance is from the incomparable Jason Jewert.Here's a link to Sincro's online retailing white paper: https://www.sincrodigital.com/blog/Online-Retail-Whitepaper And don't forget about our Shop Click Drive eLearning: https://cobaltu.adobeconnect.com/_a838715750/scd_faq/

It’s all about advertising this month, friends. There are some really high profile and influential Ford dealers that are seeing great success with Sincro advertising. They’re doing so well, in fact, they don’t want to share their secret recipe! But the cat’s out of the bag. Tune in for the scoop and tell everyone you know!For more information on Ford advertising, visit the program’s Confluence page:
https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=235739285#id-%22New%22FordProgramPage-Advertising

Sincro's new website packages couldn’t have come at a better time. They're better for our customers, and easier for us to sell! Why, you ask? Tune in to hear more about why we're making the change, what the differences are, how dealers (and DAE!) benefit from this new structure, and which OEMs are impacted.

Check out this Nissan program guide for a great overview: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version/0690b00000AyswR

Nissan dealers are starting to open back up AND Nissan is going through some big organizational changes. If you're getting ready to engage with a Nissan dealer, this is one that you don't want to miss!

Get info on the program at either of the following sites: https://www.nissandigitalprogram.com/ or https://www.sincrodigital.com/nissan

This episode clocks in UNDER five minutes - but it's still just as impactful.

Bookmark this link: It will be updated as soon as Shift can make the changes, so you may need to check back for packaging and prices. (They're also in the process of updating logos and copy!) http://www.infinitidigitalprogram.com/RetailerWebsite/CDK

This one’s for our DAA friends – but DAE should tune in too! Heck, everyone can benefit from listening! Join us as Jake, Taylor, Jim, and Sean talk about the genesis of their deep dive team, explore some of the wins they’ve had (and why), and what their vision is moving forward (is it world domination? Maybe!) They discuss the importance of different perspectives and voice, and why it’s so important for DAE to TALK with their DAA. Are you stuck on one of your accounts? Could you use some support to retain a client? If you’ve got a problem, yo they’ll solve it! Just email them at digitaladvertisingdeepdiveteam@cdk.com

From new vehicle releases to new sales initiatives, there are a lot of exciting things happening with GM. Take a listen, and take advantage of the links we’ve included below!

CDK is sending a letter stating 12-month DMS loyalty credit expires 6/30 and Sincro will offer a promotion to dealers that do not have PSEO or Social Suite to stay with Sincro vs. defecting to another provider. Loyalty Power SEO and Social Suite Promo CY20 details can be found in sales contract initiatives below.

GM Clean: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/GM+US+COVID-19+Details+and+Materials.

GM Open/Closed report: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/GM+US+COVID-19+Details+and+Materials

Sales contact initiatives: https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=240540182

DMS Loyalty Credit: GM Defectors/ Non Enrolled 648 Dealers

https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Programhttps://media.vw.com/en-us/releases/1278

Check out the below links for even more information!https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Programhttps://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/mazda-reports-april-sales-results/

More resources available here:

https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Program and https://www.miniusanews.com/newsrelease.do?id=1180&mid=239

Google My Business is top of mind for everyone right now – but not many dealers know how (or have the time!) to update their listings. Tune in to hear Erin and Alan explain why robust GMB listings are so key right now – and how our new Enhanced GMB offering can help!

Listen to the original webinar here.https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/6094367959918126861

This is actually really exciting you guys – a tool that shows a vehicles likelihood to sell? Yes please! Not only does the Vehicle Insights Dashboard show a VINs high or low chance of selling in the next 35 days but it ALSO shows VINs that aren’t displaying price or dealership photos. This tool can help dealers properly merchandise their vehicles by not only offering insights, but actionable recommendations. We feel like this is a game changer… right? Tune in for the scoop to find out even more and learn when (and to whom!) it’s available.

This is very timely. We wanted to spend a little time talking about messaging during the holidays -- in light of the current COVID-19 climate. Obviously, holidays are still happening -- but we want to be mindful about the images we use to represent these holidays. Here to talk to us today about the types of creative we should be using and the conversations we should be having with our customers are Lyndsey Hartje and Alia Felton.

What Podcasts are coming? Listen and find out.

Hyundai is open for enrollment – so go get those dealers (and their Genesis business too, while you’re at it!). Kristin also tells us more about their new Digital Retailing Solution and great Memorial Day offers.

You can’t access the open enrollment site due to the firewall, but absolutely give this link to your dealers and make sure they choose Sincro: https://wdcs.hyundaidealer.com/irj/portal/iam?TargetSYS_ID=SYS0000

Here’s an example of the Click to Buy offering: https://www.lagunahyundai.com/click-to-buy

Are you leveraging the supporting materials we have to help dealers with their digital marketing plans? Were you aware of all the amazing resources we have available for you AND our customers? If not, that’s totally fine, but now you know! And you do NOT want to miss this episode as our panel of inspiring women discuss everything you need to know about our playbooks and whitepapers – including where you can find them and how you should use them to help our customers execute their strategies. The playbooks cover critical topics such as website best practices, important social media strategies to consider, and how dealers can connect with their shoppers via video. Our whitepapers have information on automotive shopping trends and service advertising in COVID-19. All great stuff! So what are you waiting for? Download them now: https://www.sincrodigital.com/here-for-you

And thanks for listening!

This is definitely worth a listen! Teighlor recaps the five critical elements that dealers should continue incorporating into their “Back to Business” messaging as well as the four steps they need to consider as they prepare to re-open. She emphasizes the ways in which dealers need to connect with their community and offers a ton of ideas on how we here at Sincro can help! Take a listen to the original webinar below for even more information. We’ve included a copy of her presentation too, which has a ton of great resources that you can share with our customers!

Back to Business Deck: https://cdk.sharefile.com/d-sb1940b223a44f2cbWebinar Recording: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/3640414137196277263 Encourage your dealers to stay informed about future webinars by contacting info@sincrodigital.com

Ever have an idea you think would make your life (or your team mate’s … or our customer’s lives) better and easier? Yeah, so do over one hundred other Sincro folks! That’s how many submissions the IDEA team received for this year’s IDEA-A-THON. While you may have to wait until the next round to present yours, tune in to find out more about how you can participate in next week’s IDEA-A-THON.

AGENDA:
5/18 - Day 1 (Pacific Time) KICK OFF!! Everyone Zoom HERE: https://cdk.zoom.us/j/99082515166?pwd=Vjl2dy9WaVkvelcrdFhBc2haLzc0UT09 • 8:00 – 8:15 – Introduction (11:00am-11:15 Eastern time zone)• 8:15 – 10:15 – Idea Pitches …• 10:15 – 10:30 – Quick Break- stretch, bathroom….• 10:30- 11:30 - Continue Idea Pitches• 11:30 – 12:30 – Judges deliberate on which ideas will move forward• 11:30 – 12:45 - Break
• 12:45 – 1:45 – Judges announce the ideas moving forward• 1:45 – 2:15 – Team forming role decisioning, IDEA Signups Signup Genius.• 2:15 – 4:00 – Individual idea leaders setup Zoom Plan solution & begin implementing..• 1:45 - 4:00 - Create HipChat rooms for all the selected ideas• Room name format IDEA-A-THON_2020_SPR_Idea Name Here5/22 - Day 5 (Pacific Time): https://cdk.zoom.us/j/98972786374?pwd=YUZlRjZQR2NNakZQS3JMMHJmeEVLZz09

• 10:00-1:00 – Present solutions • Virtual Happy Hour!

In today's episode, we continue the conversation with a new panel of DAE about their role, the challenges they face, their wins and experiences. Gary tells us about his research and thought process before engaging with a dealer. Pamela shares some of the tools she uses when preparing to speak with a customer and walks us through the gamut of emotions she experiences in her role. And finally, Christine gives us some insight into how she structures her day and what she does to stay on top of her game. And that's just the beginning! Press play and get ready for some inspiration.

Whether you're familiar with the DAE role or not, you'll want to hear what Adam, Drew, and Erik have to say about their role at Sincro. They offer insight into the research they do before engaging with their customers, share some of the things they keep in mind when offering solutions, and walk us through their thought process on the art of how they do what they do. Are we being too vague? Maybe, but we really think you should listen to what they have to say!

Summary: Enrollment for the new Genesis certified program is now open. Kristin tells us where dealers need to go to enroll, what packages are available, how they differ from our legacy packages, what the pricing looks like, and she even tells you which dealers we should go after RIGHT NOW. This may be our most exciting five minutes yet, so what are you waiting for? Press play! And check out our supporting resources below.

Demo Sites https://genesis.cdkwebsites.com/Sales Campaignshttps://cdk.lightning.force.com/lightning/r/Dashboard/01Z0b000000bBA4EAM/view

One Pager:https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/0690b0000092U5T

Enrollment portal: https://home.smartdealerportal.com/

Heather, Ryan, and Victoria put a ton of time into coming up with their pitch to Parkway, which included a holistic approach to establishing them as a luxury truck dealer. Tune in to hear all about their research strategies, their thought process, and how they changed course in the COVID-19 climate. They have some great ideas, so you don’t want to skip this! Listen to their original pitch and find their deck below.

Link to their deck: https://bit.ly/2xGO9C0

Link to Webex: https://cdkglobal.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/cdkglobal/recording/playback/50e53323258a4a49a48478ab1137f8b8

In today's podcast, we speak with Leah Caglio and Anna Daugherty about our new Google My Business offering. We'll set the stage by explaining what Google My Business is, then go on to talk about how our new product is different, why a dealer should want it, if we've got any competition, and which OEM we can sell to. Tune in for the full scoop!

Watch this supporting video: https://cdkglobal.wistia.com/medias/0gn9pcau92

For all supporting marketing materials, visit the Confluence page: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Enhanced+GMB+Listing+Management

John got his hands on Ford’s production schedule and is excited to share their next big release. It’s important to think about what comes after COVID-19, so we have a real opportunity to get dealers thinking about how they will market what comes next. We’re not going to tell you what it is – you’re just going to have to listen!

It’s open enrollment for GM, so that’s the main topic of discussion today. Also of note is not only winning dealers back or retaining them, but offering “to go” solutions such as SEO or advertising if they do choose a different website provider. Steve also touches on the GM Cares program, their relaxed SFE standards in our COVID-19 climate, and how GM is using their production facilities since they’ve stopped producing cars. Want to know what they’re doing? It’s really cool – take a listen!

GM US COVID-19 Info and Details https://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/GM+US+COVID-19+Details+and+Materials

Digital GM Retention https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?spaceKey=NAC&title=Digital+GM+Retention

GM Helping With Ventilator Production: https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/21/21189184/gm-ventec-ventilators-tesla-musk-coronavirus

GM Dealer Digital Solution https://www.gmdealerdigital.com/

The Agency’s pitch contest was meant to spark creativity and boost morale around how we engage with our customers. Tune in to hear more about Gerry and Paymon’s pitch to Stonebriar Chevrolet in Frisco, Texas – including their inspiration and thought process behind the idea, the research they did beforehand, and how they approached the conversation with their customer. They also talk about some of their ideas now, given our current climate. Listen to their original pitch here: https://bit.ly/2ScyIbH

00:24 Meet the Pitch Winners “The Closers” – Paymon Fahim and Gerry Mendiola

01:25 - Recapping the Pitch

03:58 – Addressing the Hurt

11:50 - Personalizing the Pitch

17:01 - What things to Change or Add to the Pitch

20:43 – What’s happening now?

Tune in to find out what VW is doing to help their dealers through the current COVID-19 crisis. Spoiler alert: It's a lot! Also of interest is their new community promise offer (NO PAYMENT FOR 180 days and 0% APR for 72 months?!) -- which kind of makes us want to buy their newly launched vehicle. Wanna know more? Take a listen!

Meet Jermaine Griffin, Account Director on our Shift Digital Business. In this episode, Jermaine shares what we need to know about MINI right now - from what they're doing to ensure their dealers and customers feel supported to how they're focusing on their messaging. Jermaine also tells us about MINI's decision to cancel their Spring Sales Event and how the crisis got in the way of their electric vehicle launch. Listen in to hear the rest of the story.

[Visit the Shift Digital Program Confluence page for more: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Program

In today's episode, Jermaine Griffin tells us about our Mazda campaign focusing on ADA and site speed, which drives home the hurt for dealers immediately. Let's help dealers avoid fines and maintain compliance!

He also emphasizes that NOW is the time we need to show the Mazda dealers we're still here. In the past we haven't shown them enough love, but we've got a great opportunity to turn things around.

Also of note: Mazda is moving away from their volume-focused strategy to a more high-end, luxury feel. Tune in for more! It's amazing how much ground you can cover in five minutes, right?

Visit the Shift Digital Program Confluence page here: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Program

Alan Krutsch and Erin Zaborac return to discuss more strategies on how we can support our Dealers during COVID-19.

Show Notes00:26:00 Alan and Erin are back 00:55:00 4 Main Pillars Dealerships should keep in mind 02:54;39 A Sharing of Ideas among Dealerships06:55:00 Serve before you Sell 08:57:00 Key takeaways

Social Distancing (Coronavirus COVID-19) Planhttps://confluence.cdk.com/display/DEV/Social+Distancing+%28Coronavirus+COVID-19%29+Plan

Questions:What Standards for Excellence (SFE) is and how dealer’s objectives are met – 00:01:43:07How a Dealership works with the guidelines of SFE online marketing – 00:02:47:06How SFE Objectives are hit and what the numbers are - 00:04:30:16How has SFE changed due to the COVID 19 outbreak – 00:06:19:12Types of questions a DAE should be asking dealers – 00:07:16:02Two Questions – 00:13:30:00

SFE Guidelines – How do dealers get paid?Sales objective for each dealer is set based on last three years average for that particular monthIn order to earn any 2020 Chevrolet SFE monthly bonus, ALL OTHER MONTHLY REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, including (1) Reputation Management, (2) Dealer Digital Shopping Assessment and (3) Digital Marketing Manager training

Dealers are paid on a grid that is set based on percentage of objective. Hitting the highest % will pay out back to the first vehicle. As much as $600 per vehicle on a stair step. Less than 90% of objective pays $0.

There are two tiers, dealers pay $40,000 to be in tier one for highest payouts, or $20,000 for tier two and lower payouts.

Dealers also can get paid for hitting objectives on accessories, up to 7% of their sales if they add accessories to the targeted % of their new vehicle sales. Actual payouts and targets are determined each month by GM at the Divisional level and posted to the SFE Dashboard.

To fulfil the Reputation Management Program requirement, SFE dealers must, at minimum, participate in the Base Package, offered only in partnership with Reputation.com. Failure to meet the Reputation Management compliance requirement will result in forfeiture of all future 2020 SFE monthly bonus opportunities and the dealer will be automatically un-enrolled for the remainder of the 2020 SFE Dealer Performance Program.

Enrollment in the Dealer Digital Shopping Assessment is automatic for all 2020 SFE-enrolled dealers. The assessment is not voluntary. By enrolling in the 2020 SFE Dealer Performance Program, you will receive the Dealer Digital Shopping Assessment free of charge. The results of the Dealer Digital Shopping Assessment are not used as qualifiers for the SFE monthly bonuses. For example, evaluation metrics may include: • Website Conversion Rate • Internet Leads Close Rate • Number of Home Page Local Offers • Dealer Business Listings Accuracy Enrollment data may include: • GM Third Party Leads Program • Shop.Click.Drive • CSSR • Each data set is specifically designed to provide the dealer with a high-level understanding of how they are performing across the digital platform

New for 2020 - Dealers are required to comply with the Dealer Digital Marketing Manager requirements in order to qualify for SFE Vehicle Sales and Accessory objective bonuses. The dealership is responsible for ensuring that it’s Digital Marketing Manager has completed 100% of their Digital Marketing Manager training courses by the end of each qtr.

Questions to ask to uncover Hurt?

• I noticed that eligibility requirements for collecting SFE money are all based on online marketing, how important is it to your business to have assistance with your digital presence? Do you believe a DDM is enough or do you need someone specifically assigned to helping your store?

• How important is it for your stores’ profitability to hit SFE requirements each month?

• At what point in the month do you review sales objectives to determine effort needed for your SFE bonus $$?

• Are you hitting your SFE targets for accessories each month? How can we help?

• For over 10 years we’ve been helping GM dealers navigate the online waters, now we are exclusively working for dealers who have chosen us, we’re not tied to GM, but tied to your store’s objectives. How can we help?

Here’s some useful supporting info:• Mebo to promo pop for all HMA dealers: http://dm.cdk.com/mebo/view.php?id=4149 This is the “free” chat solution that’s included in all 3 website packages• Link to available Hyundai Covid-19 assets (as well as generic assets): https://hyundai.cdkwebsites.com/COVID-19_Content-Options#close

In this episode of our recurring series, we talk to John Starck about Ford. If you've only got five minutes, here's what you need to know right now. Check back next month for more. And be sure to visit https://confluence.cdk.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=235739285#id-%22New%22FordProgramPage-Advertising for even more information.

After a brief hiatus, the Learning and Insights team is rebooting the Podcast.

Meet our new host and find out what we'll be talking about in upcoming episodes.

This is the first episode in our recurring "You've Got Five Minutes" OEM Series. Here, Dennis Mosser shares what you need to know right now about Nissan. Check back next month for the latest.

In this episode, Stacey Overturf tells us about her Learning & Insights team, who they support, and what they can do for you.

If you have a training request, please use the link in the footer.

00:50:23 Introduction of Stacey Overturf Sr. Manager Learning and Insights02:09:00 What is Learning and Insights03:37:24 Vision for Training in the Future06;24;21 Who do we support07:21:16 How to Request Training for their team08:02:24 Two Questions

Alan Krutsch and Erin Zaborac talk about strategies we can use to support our Dealer’s during the COVID 19 Outbreak.

00:55:09 Meet Alan Krutsch and Erin Zaborac02:50:05 Taking a thoughtful approach to our dealers during this unprecedented time08:30:00 Tone of Communication Matters11:31:30 Bring Positive Suggestions – Strategies Dealers can do for Free13:45:23 Upcoming Webinar15:03:20 Two Questions

Office Hours - TV's Not Dead, It's Digital

This Office Hours with Josh Goodin, Director of Product Marketing, gives us a perspective about what's happening in television, the updates to TV advertising technology, and what's next for us in the space.

Contact:For questions about digital advertising products, contact josh.goodin@cdk.com

For questions or feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Office Hours - Best Practices Are Stupid with Jason Jewert

Jason Jewert, regular guest of the Driving Digital Podcast, was recently on our internal Office Hours to talk about why best practices are stupid, and how we should be talking about strategy instead.

ContactIf you have questions or feedback, please contact podcast@cdk.com

Responsive vs. Adaptive Website Design with Kayla Drewry and Jason Jewert

Today we're joined once more by Kayla Drewry and Jason Jewert to talk about the differences between adaptive and responsive website design.

Why does it matter, and how can you talk to dealers about it?

Resources:https://developers.google.com/search/mobile-sites/mobile-first-indexing

Contact:For questions about websites, contact kayla.drewry@cdk.com

For feedback or questions for the Driving Digital Podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Earned Marketing and the Buyer Journey with Anna Daugherty and Dana Melick

We're joined by Anna Daugherty, Product Marketing Manager for Earned Marketing, and Dana Melick, Director of Earned Marketing, to discuss how these products fit within every stage of the automotive buyer journey.

Resources

http://bit.ly/CDK-Earned - Earned Marketing Confluence page

http://bit.ly/CDK-SEO – Confluence page for PowerSEO, SEO Essentials, IgniteSEO

http://bit.ly/CDK-REP – Social/RepMan Confluence Page

http://bit.ly/CDK-OM – Owner Marketing Confluence Page

Cheat Sheets

PDF of SEO Page: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version?selectedDocumentId=0690b0000090arF

PDF of Social/RepMan Page: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version?selectedDocumentId=0690b0000090as3

PDF of Owner Marketing page: https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version?selectedVersionId=0680b000008UoW9

Contacts

To order an SEO audit, email SEOAudit@cdk.com

For questions and help regarding Owner Marketing, email emailmarketingsales@cdk.com

For marketing help, email anna.daugherty@cdk.com

For feedback about the podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Exciting Updates About the Ford Channel with John Stark

We're joined again by John Stark to talk all about the exciting updates happening in Ford, and opportunities for sales to have great conversations with potential customers.

How do we get to the decision maker at the store?
How do we identify Ford business hurts and conversations?

ContactIf you have questions about the Ford program, contact john.stark@cdk.com

If you have feedback or questions about the Driving Digital Podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Geofencing Part 2 with Casey Pilgrim

Continuing our discussion of geofencing, we spoke with Casey Pilgrim, Digital Director of Sales, Central US, about the differences between geofencing, geotargeted, and personalization, and how you can position our strengths to dealers.

Contacts:

To discuss geofencing with Casey, email casey.pilgrim@cdk.com or call/text him at 205-267-9624

For feedback or questions for the Driving Digital Podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Interview - Site Speed with Kayla Drewry

Kayla Drewry, Product Marketing Manager for websites, discusses how our platform is speed first, how dealers can rely on us to ensure their websites load quickly, and how you can talk about this topic with dealers.

Contact:

For more questions about site speed, contact kayla.drewry@cdk.com

For questions or feedback about the podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Geofencing Roundtable Discussion with Angie Cordova, Christina Rosenbach, and Jason Jewert

Angie Cordova, Product Manager for Websites, Christina Rosenbach, Director of Digital Agency, and Jason Jewert, Director of Enterprise Solutions gathered for a roundtable discussion centered around geofencing and related topics.

Geofencing vs. Geotargeting
How to talk about new and shiny competitor offerings in the market
How our solutions target low funnel cross-shoppers

Learn More:

Digital Websites Confluence: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Digital+Websites

Contact:

For questions or feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Interview - Social Suite with Kristin Falck and Daniel Todd

We're joined by two Social Suite experts to talk all about our social advertising product. Learn how and where you can sell this unique product, as well as why this product is moving us forward in the digital space.

Contact:

For questions about Social Suite, contact socialsuite@cdk.com

For questions about the Driving Digital podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Internal Office Hours - What the Heck is a Platform - Part 2

In session 2 of our 3-part website training series, Kayla Drewry, Product Marketing Manager for websites, walks us through platform-level search engine optimization, design, and content, as well as our analytics capabilities.

Download the Presentation:https://cdk.my.salesforce.com/sfc/#version/0690b00000608Rj

Contacts:

For questions about websites, email kayla.drewry@cdk.com

For questions or feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Data Bytes with Colleen Harris - Google Data Studio

Learn about how we're bringing added value to dealers through Google Data Studio. The reports we're offering help bring all of their important Google Analytics, traffic, and onsite engagement metrics together in once place.

Contact:

For questions about Google Data Studio, email colleen.harris@cdk.com

For feedback or questions about the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Interview - Opportunities in the Mazda-Infiniti-VW-Mini Channel

David Stalzer, Sr. Executive Manufacturer Relations, and Jermaine Griffin, Account Director, join us to discuss opportunities within the Mazda-Infiniti-VW-Mini channel. They discuss our efforts with the Shift digital program, as well as how we can position ourselves to win with these dealers.

Learn More

For everything you need to know about this program, visit the Confluence page: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/SHIFT+Digital+Program

Contacts

For questions about this channel, email David.Stalzer@cdk.com or Jermaine.Griffin@cdk.com

For questions or feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Everything You Need to Know About GM Choice with Jodi Porter

We're joined by Jodi Porter, VP Enterprise Solutions, to help us understand how we can compete in the GM choice program.

We've built our new packages for dealers. Let's help dealers self-diagnose which of our packages are right for them. Learn all about how our compelling GM choice messages in this episode.

Contact:

Visit our retention Confluence page for all your GM Choice needs: bit.ly/GM-CDK

For questions and feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Data Bytes - Google Products with Colleen Harris

Welcome to another bonus episode! In this ep, Colleen Harris, Product Manager Business Intelligence and our own "Google Whisperer," discusses our relationship with Google products including Google Search Console, Analytics, and Google Advertising.

ContactsFor Google-specific questions, contact colleen.harris@cdk.com

For questions and feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

_ADA Compliance and Our Websites with Angie Cordova_

We spoke with Angie Cordova, Product Manager for Websites, about how we enable dealers to be ADA compliant and how we stack up against competitors in this space.

ADA Compliance Confluence:https://confluence.cdk.com/display/IAS/ADA+Compliance+Resources

GM Retention Confluence:bit.ly/GM-CDK

Contact:If you have questions about our websites' ADA compliance or our partnership with EqualWeb, contact angie.cordova@cdk.com

If you have questions, feedback, or guest suggestions for the podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

Everything You Need to Know About Hyundai with Kristin Callahan

Enrollment for Hyundai's website program through Trilogy begins Oct. 28th! Kristin Callahan, Director of the Digital Channel for Hyundai, joins us to discuss the opportunities to earn more digital business with Hyundai dealers.

Important Links:Trilogy enrollment site: www.dwcp.trilogy.com Our Hyundai Confluence: https://confluence.cdk.com/display/NAC/Hyundai+Trilogy+Digital+Marketing+Program

Contact:For questions about Hyundai digital programs or to get help closing a deal, contact: hyundaidigitalescalations@cdk.com

For questions or feedback on the Driving Digital podcast, email podcast@cdk.com

In the Moment Service with Nick Lascheck

In this episode, Brandon speaks with Nick Lascheck, Sr. Manager Account Advocates and Creative Services, about:

In the Moment Service and what it means for dealers
How we're working to improve customer satisfaction
What's changing about the service model for GM choice
How sales team members can navigate requests from dealers to keep their Account Advocates

Contact:If you have questions about In the Moment service, contact Nick Lascheck at nicholas.lascheck@cdk.com

If you have a dealer who is requesting a specific Account Advocate in the new service model, contact that AA's manager.

If you have questions or feedback about the podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Data Bytes - Our Google Analytics Philosophy with Colleen Harris

Welcome to our bonus Google-centric episodes! In this kick-off ep, Colleen Harris, Product Manager Business Intelligence and our own "Google Whisperer," gives us the scoop on:

How we view Google Analytics at CDK
Why dealers should own their data
How this affects the GM program

Contact:colleen.harris@cdk.com

podcast@cdk.com

Schema and Structured Data with Kayla Drewry

In this episode, we welcome Kayla Drewry, Product Marketing Manager for Websites, to discuss:

What schema and structured data are
How we use structured data in our websites
Why it matters to dealers
How to communicate the value this brings to the marketplace

Contact:For website marketing questions, email kayla.drewry@cdk.com

For podcast feedback or questions, contact us at podcast@cdk.com

_What the heck is a “Platform” anyways? And why is ours so great? _

Our website platform is our greatest competitive advantage in the marketplace, but most of us have a tough time explaining why it is so powerful and unique in our industry. Kayla Drewry, Product Marketing Manager for our websites, will help us solve that problem over three Office Hours sessions over the next few weeks.

These training sessions will are mandatory for sales and customer facing associates. We will be recording the session for associates who are out of office or have meetings they cannot miss. And, we’ll be scheduling sessions 2 and 3 further in advance.

More Info:Bookmark our “Everything you need to know about GM Retention Page” at bit.ly/GM-CDK

Contact:podcast@cdk.com

What is SEO and Why Does it Matter to Dealers? with Dana Melick

In this interview with Dana Melick, Director of Earned Marketing, we learn:

What search engine optimization (SEO) is
Our selection of SEO offerings and why they matter to dealers
How the sales team can better position and sell our SEO services

Contact:If you have questions about SEO, contact SEO@cdk.com

If you'd like to have an audit done as part of a sales opportunity assessment, contact SEOaudit@cdk.com

For questions or feedback for the Driving Digital Podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

In this interview with John Stark, Senior Director of Client Engagement in the Ford channel, we cover:

The current Ford program
Our opportunities for selling more digital business to Ford dealers
How to position ourselves and our capabilities

Contact:

To talk more about the Ford program, contact John Stark at john.stark@cdk.com

If you have feedback about the Driving Digital podcast, contact us at podcast@cdk.com

Digital Sales IQ Call - 9/30/2019

GM Selling Logistics Update – Tim O’Brien shared some very important selling logistics updates including the most common enrollment scenarios and some FAQs around Connected Store.

Mazda – Jermain Griffin shared a new Sales Support One Pager focused on selling to Mazda. That brief should be available to all associates in Salesforce Content.

Platform Value Training – Kayla Drewry shared a sneak peek into an upcoming series of Office Hours training on the value of the CDK website platform. The marketing team will be sending invites for this training this week. The training will be mandatory for all customer-facing associates.

Marketing Update – Michael Eggerling shared an update on the marketing and sales enablement work: The weekly Digital Newsflash is sent to your inbox every Thursday and contains the most relevant news and materials from around Digital. The Driving Digital Podcast is up and running with 5 episodes ready to play straight from your podcast app.

In this pre-recorded Mastery Series call, Joe Tarell, Director of Enterprise Solutions, discusses ways to work with the sales team to help our business succeed, how to talk about the digital spin-off, and how to solve problems.

This Mastery Series episode is perfect for agency team members who want to learn our sales talk tracks and how to approach customers about the digital sale.

Contact:Please send any feedback on this podcast to podcast@cdk.com

About This Recap:This is a pre-recording of an Internal Office Hours broadcast during which Jason Jewert and Jodi Porter gave us a rundown of the CDK GM Roadshow presentation, our value positioning, and how we're approaching GM Choice.

Remember, we are still embargoed from sharing materials pertaining to pricing, but it’s time for sales reps to start talking to your dealers verbally about our offering.

The most critical information around our value and visuals from this presentation are laid out in the supporting materials sent out with this Office Hours Webex recording. Talk to your manager if you did not receive these materials.

Contact: For questions and feedback about the Driving Digital Podcast, contact podcast@cdk.com

Never miss an update or important info when you're subscribed to the Driving Digital internal sales podcast.

*Digital IQ Sales call - 9/16/2019*

Agenda

GM Update and Retention Sales Support Bulletin
Mazda Update
Toyota/Lexus Update
Hyundai Update
Facebook VIN Feed Advertising Beta
Help us help you with feedback

Contact: For podcast questions and feedback, contact podcast@cdk.com

In this episode with our call-in guest Jason Jewert, we discuss:

How the sales team is set up better than ever to make money
How our digital products will win in the marketplace
What hurts do our solutions solve for?

The top 3 ways to position our digital products to retain customers:

Dealers' hurts are our #1 priority
We know the industry and their business
We bring exceptional value with our solutions

Contact:

DXT@cdk.com - For questions for Jason Jewert and the Digital Experience Team

podcast@cdk.com - For topic feedback, questions, and recommendations for future guests and topics