Kevin Miller

Michigan dealership group takes branding to the skies with hot air balloon. Zeigler Automotive Group goes above and beyond to spread the word about their dealerships. Literally. Flying high above billboards and car lots, a hot air balloon emblazoned with the name of the Kalamazoo, Mich., dealership group dances through Midwest skies every summer. In an increasingly competitive market following the inventory shortage, Zeigler's balloon advertising strategy is to connect positive emotions with their brand, said Sam D'Arc, Zeigler's COO. "We buy from people that we trust and that we have an emotional connection with. That is what the balloon does," D'Arc said. "I have never seen someone watching a hot air balloon who doesn't have a smile on their face." The dealership group bought the custom balloon in 2021 for about $75,000 and it will last about 15 years, CEO Aaron Zeigler said. Pilot Derrick Jones flies it almost every weekend from May to October at dealership grand openings, balloon shows, charity events and more. Jones typically takes two passengers at a time for trips that last about an hour. Riders range from Zeigler staff to clients to members of the public who bid for the opportunity at charity auctions. Many people also post pictures of it on social media when they see it overhead. "It is singular in its ability to engage with communities," D'Arc said. Memorable marketing The balloon is a key piece of branding as the dealership group grows, Zeigler said. It added six stores last year, bringing its total to 41, and retailed 20,644 new vehicles. Zeigler ranks No. 45 on Automotive News' list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S. Jones, who also is the director of Zeigler's Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Fiat dealerships in Grandville, Mich., sees firsthand how the balloon creates a "circle of brand and marketing," he said. "If people are thinking about the Zeigler balloon, they think of Derrick. And if they are looking for a car, I usually get a call, text or email saying: 'My uncle, my neighbor, my friend, my coworker is looking for a vehicle,' " Jones said. "People just don't forget about it — it's memorable." It is tricky to calculate any direct return on investment for the balloon, D'Arc said. But the auto group is counting on the balloon's unique ability to inspire joy, loyalty and brand awareness. "You cannot buy a bigger billboard," D'Arc said. "And it's traveling, so everyone who sees it is pointing it out to people." Team becomes crew Being a top performer at Ziegler could mean the chance to travel to the top of the skies. The dealership group uses balloon rides as an incentive for team members, Zeigler said. It is a rare opportunity for employees and their family members so it brings out people's competitive sides.

7

Michigan dealership group takes branding to the skies with hot air balloon. Zeigler Automotive Group goes above and beyond to spread the word about their dealerships. Literally. Flying high above billboards and car lots, a hot air balloon emblazoned with the name of the Kalamazoo, Mich., dealership group dances through Midwest skies every summer. In an increasingly competitive market following the inventory shortage, Zeigler's balloon advertising strategy is to connect positive emotions with their brand, said Sam D'Arc, Zeigler's COO. "We buy from people that we trust and that we have an emotional connection with. That is what the balloon does," D'Arc said. "I have never seen someone watching a hot air balloon who doesn't have a smile on their face." The dealership group bought the custom balloon in 2021 for about $75,000 and it will last about 15 years, CEO Aaron Zeigler said. Pilot Derrick Jones flies it almost every weekend from May to October at dealership grand openings, balloon shows, charity events and more. Jones typically takes two passengers at a time for trips that last about an hour. Riders range from Zeigler staff to clients to members of the public who bid for the opportunity at charity auctions. Many people also post pictures of it on social media when they see it overhead. "It is singular in its ability to engage with communities," D'Arc said. Memorable marketing The balloon is a key piece of branding as the dealership group grows, Zeigler said. It added six stores last year, bringing its total to 41, and retailed 20,644 new vehicles. Zeigler ranks No. 45 on Automotive News' list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S. Jones, who also is the director of Zeigler's Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Fiat dealerships in Grandville, Mich., sees firsthand how the balloon creates a "circle of brand and marketing," he said. "If people are thinking about the Zeigler balloon, they think of Derrick. And if they are looking for a car, I usually get a call, text or email saying: 'My uncle, my neighbor, my friend, my coworker is looking for a vehicle,' " Jones said. "People just don't forget about it — it's memorable." It is tricky to calculate any direct return on investment for the balloon, D'Arc said. But the auto group is counting on the balloon's unique ability to inspire joy, loyalty, and brand awareness. "You cannot buy a bigger billboard," D'Arc said. "And it's traveling, so everyone who sees it is pointing it out to people." Team becomes crew Being a top performer at Ziegler could mean the chance to travel to the top of the skies. The dealership group uses balloon rides as an incentive for team members, Zeigler said. It is a rare opportunity for employees and their family members so it brings out people's competitive sides.

1

🔥🚙 🚀Used Car Managers, General Managers, Dealer Principals, and Automotive Professionals 🚗🔥🚀 There were so many highlights from Cars Commerce’s “USED CARPALOOZA” in Chicago we needed a Part 2! This Friday, August 23rd starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... David Spisak, Frank Knox, Brian Kramer, Jasen Rice, Glenn Lundy, Darrell Steed, and more of automotive’s brightest minds discuss more stress-tested tips and proven strategies shared at the event that have transformed used car departments into profit powerhouses. David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump in the conversation or be a 🪰on the wall like me! Either way, you'll walk away with profit-boosting insights to grow your bottom line immediately. 💰💲💵💪🤑 Look in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #AutomotiveIndustry #cardealers #usedcarsales #newcarsales #davidlong

9

4 Comments

NASCAR has hired Craig Stimmel as senior vice president and chief commercial officer. In this role, Stimmel will oversee all sales aspects for NASCAR, including Premier Partner and Official Partner categories, race entitlements, track partnerships and media sales across owned channels, such as the Motor Racing Network and NASCAR Digital Media. He also will work closely with NASCAR’s media partners, teams and non-NASCAR tracks to cultivate commercial opportunities. Stimmel comes to NASCAR with experience from the property, media and consumer side of the business, having led global sales and partnerships for the WWE and a similar role at Snapchat. Before that, he held a leadership role on the brand marketing side at Procter & Gamble. Most recently, Stimmel was senior vice president of commercial for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. #aftermarket #autoparts #autocare #NASCAR #racing #motorsports #carcare

10

1 Comment

Ever notice how not a SINGLE OEM (Toyota Motor Corporation, American Honda Motor Company, Inc., BMW Group, etc) bases their projected annual vehicles sales, nor the entire auto industry, projects its annual SAAR, nor either of those make any reference whatsoever to missing annual sales nor missing the SAAR based on Google Search Queries? I mean to listen to all of the OEM Certified Marketing Vendors... if search engines like Google went out of business, dealers wouldn't sell any cars. These marketing companies appear to believe for example, that in a given market, if the DEMAND for Chevrolet Tahoes were 10,000... and all of sudden search engines disappeared... people interested in Tahoes would disappear too. Whew... better keep that Google tax rolling or this industry would be in trouble.

10

7 Comments

🔥 Used Car Managers 🚙 🚗 General Managers 🔥 🔥 Dealer Principals 🚘 🚙 Automotive Professionals 🔥 Don’t let margin compression put the squeeze on you. This Friday, September 27th, starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... Join David Long, Vasilios Lambos, Jasen Rice, Diego Vargas, John Ellis, Brian Kramer, Tommy Gibbs, Brian Miller, and other leading automotive experts as they discuss What It Takes To Be Profitable on David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump into the conversation or be a 🪰 on the wall like me! Either way, you’ll walk away with amazing insights and actionable tips that you can implement at your dealership TODAY to make you and your bottom line better immediately. 💰🤑💵💲 👀 in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer #sales

8

5 Comments

🔥 Used Car Managers 🚙 🚗 General Managers 🔥 🔥 Dealer Principals 🚘 🚙 Automotive Professionals 🔥 Don’t let margin compression put the squeeze on you. This Friday, September 27th, starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... Join David Long, Vasilios Lambos, Jasen Rice, Diego Vargas, John Ellis, Brian Kramer, Tommy Gibbs, Brian Miller, and other leading automotive experts as they discuss What It Takes To Be Profitable on David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump into the conversation or be a 🪰 on the wall like me! Either way, you’ll walk away with amazing insights and actionable tips that you can implement at your dealership TODAY to make you and your bottom line better immediately. 💰🤑💵💲 👀 in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer #sales

6

9 Comments

Hey, dealers—something that doesn’t get enough attention: talking risk. Service and sales teams are working with the same customers, but how often are we making risk a part of the conversation? I’m not talking about scare tactics—I’m talking about helping the customer see the problem so they trust us to solve it. For example, in service: A customer declined work during their last visit, and now they’re back. Do we just move on, or do we bring it up, show them the risk of waiting, and explain the benefits of taking care of it today? That’s where trust is built—and approvals happen. In sales, it’s no different. If we can’t help the customer see what they might be missing out on by hesitating, we’re not giving them the full picture. Risk has to be part of the conversation if we want to show value and guide them to the right decision. I break down how to talk about risk with real examples you can use today. These are the same strategies I teach live in dealerships every week—yes, I even work with customers right in front of the teams so it all makes sense. It’s about making the process real, relatable, and effective. Lots of customer touchpoints. Make sure the message is cohesive and that risk is part of the conversation. When you get this right, the results follow! Listen now and let me know how it helps! 🎧 https://bit.ly/3BK3kLF 🎧 https://spoti.fi/49TiESY Sponsored by automotiveMastermind Inc., CallRevu, Lotlinx, Inc. & Autosled

44

3 Comments

🔥🚙 🚀Used Car Managers, General Managers, Dealer Principals, and Automotive Professionals 🚗🔥🚀 If you missed Cars Commerce’s “USED CARPALOOZA” in Chicago…here’s your second chance! This Friday, August 16th starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... David Spisak, Frank Knox, Brian Kramer, Jasen Rice, Glenn Lundy, Darrell Steed, and more of automotive’s brightest minds discuss decades worth of stress-tested tips and proven strategies shared at the event that have transformed used car departments into profit powerhouses. David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump in the conversation or be a 🪰on the wall like me! Either way, you'll walk away with profit-boosting insights to grow your bottom line immediately. 💰💲💵💪🤑 Look in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #AutomotiveIndustry #cardealers #usedcarsales #newcarsales

24

9 Comments

Incentives drive behavior within the parameters of affordability. In a need-based demand market like this, affordability trumps incentives. The Automotive Advisor Team helps dealers build inventory plans based on market-driven insights as well as the dealer’s specific inventory around their local market’s demand by price and segment. It's important to be cautious of overgeneralizations using historical automotive KPI performance trends that no longer fit as they once did in our new post-COVID auto market. Frank Knox Brian Kramer David Long

7

1 Comment

RTM and auto dealers: At the heart of the conflict, ultimately, is data and who controls it. “Only through a direct sales model can Scout Motors get a full 360-degree view of the customer,” Thacker said. “This means that we can completely influence the customer journey. We can have unprecedented access to customer data, which drives deep customer insights, which can then drive intelligence throughout the business.” https://buff.ly/4fjEBvM #car #auto #dealer #data #journey #bizmodel

1

🚙Used Car Managers🔥 🔥General Managers🚗 🚘Dealer Principals🔥 🔥Automotive Professionals🚖 David Long lists 18 non-negotiables for instant success in 5 minutes or less. 🤯 David Long’s All Things Used Cars... Every Friday morning at 9AM EST/6AM PST. Jump into the conversation or be a 🪰 on the wall like me! Either way, you’ll walk away with amazing insights and actionable tips that you can implement at your dealership TODAY to make you and your bottom line better. 💰🤑💵💲 👀 in the comments for a link to the full episode replay of Non-negotiables For Success.. #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer #sales #cardealership

6

4 Comments

🔋🚐 Exploring the Viability of Electric Vehicles in RV Towing As the automotive industry pivots towards sustainability, the question arises: Can you tow an RV with an electric vehicle? Our latest article delves into the practicalities and advancements in EV technology that are making this a reality. 🔍 Highlights include: An in-depth analysis of EV towing capabilities. Key factors impacting performance, including battery life and towing capacity. Real-world insights from users who are pioneering this green transition. This discussion is crucial for professionals in the automotive, environmental, and recreational sectors looking to understand and capitalize on the trends shaping the future of travel. 🔗 Access the full insights here: https://lnkd.in/evbaiSEX

1

My father, who founded Jim Hudson Automotive in 1980, still asks our GMs almost daily, "How many appointments do you have set for tomorrow?" It's a simple question, but it gets to the heart of what drives sales in today's market. We hear it from dealers all the time: "Foot traffic is down." And, yes, this may be a reality, but the thing is—customers aren't just wandering onto the lot anymore. They're shopping online, comparing options, and only visiting dealerships when they are ready to buy. Setting appointments is the key to getting more qualified buyers in the door. Appointments are the highest-value pre-qualified leads. Sales would skyrocket if the sales teams approached appointment setting with the same energy they bring to test drives. Let's treat every customer interaction as a chance to make a real connection and schedule that all-important appointment. This isn't just about the sales team—leadership buy-in is crucial! Focus on training and incentivize appointments. The results will speak for themselves when the whole team is on board.

1,114

122 Comments

From Lot Parties 🎉 to Service Bays—Every Moment is Content. We often focus so much on the sale, that we forget the stories that create lasting connections. Every dealership has its unique behind-the-scenes moments that customers love to see. From rebranding efforts like P&W BMW rebrand to BMW Pittsburgh. Advisors and Techs meeting in the service bays. Even "lot parties” with the team. These authentic glimpses show the dedication and teamwork that make your dealership more than just a business. The best part? These moments can: Drive engagement. Build trust. Highlight your brand in ways traditional content can’t. So, the next time your team is prepping deliveries or having fun together… Hit That Red 🔴 Button. Let’s continue to evolve the customer and employee experience by showcasing our behind the scenes content. #automotiveindustry #dealership #video #videomarketing #content #video4victory

4

1 Comment